Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, knew the secret of strength through weakness. Complimented once by a friend on the impact of the mission, Hudson answered, “It seemed to me that God looked over the whole world to find a man who was weak enough to do His work, and when He at last found me, He said, ‘He is weak enough—he’ll do.’
It has been said that all God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them.”[1]
When you even consider the history of redemption, you see
It has been said that all God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them.”[1]
When you even consider the history of redemption, you see
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II Corinthians 12:1-10
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that this is clearly revealed. Last week we learned a little about Cain and Abel. One of the things were learned was
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that Abel was, in all human terms, quite insignificant. Abel was the throw away, so to speak.
Think of Abraham: he was chosen by God to be the channel through which all God’s people would come. But he didn’t receive that calling until he was quite advanced in years. And, really, it didn’t become a reality until many years after he was called by God. As an elderly man he was the epitome of weakness.
You can look at any man: David, he was an unassuming little shepherd boy. Elijah is thought of as a superstar of the faith, but he was the nothing of his day. He was from some backwoods, no name town. Scripture says, “He was a man like unto us.”
Peter was an untrained fisherman. James was one of the “Sons of Thunder”, a rough and ruckus character. Probably not someone who was fit to be a rabbi.
You look all through history and what do you find? You find that God is using those who have some sort of handicap, some sort of limitation, some sort of deficiency.
Certainly that is what we see in the Apostle Paul too. And what we learn is that God –in his infinite wisdom-- has chosen to work through weakness. We can even go so far as to say that he ordains it.
If I might change Hudson Taylor’s statement a bit, I’d say that God doesn’t just look for the weakest. But he creates the weakest. He causes men to be weak.
In the passage before us today I want us to understand that God is fully in charge of our lives and he is one who sometimes forces us to be weak.
Unabashedly weak, because God wants it that way. God makes it that way.
God ordains human weakness: the reality of it, the purpose for it, and the response to it.
I. The reality of it [1-7]
We know that the Lord ordains whatsoever comes to pass. The Scriptures are replete with this jolly chorus. It is a refrain that is sung over and over and over in the pages of God’s word. You cannot get away from the Scripture without having clearly witnessed the fact that God is completely sovereign over all things. Not one thing happens without his direct determination.
Job 42:2 - I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Read through the book of Isaiah, and you will hear about God’s purpose. It cannot be thwarted. It will be established.
God ordains all things. And here in this passage I want you to see that, of all the things that God does in his omnipotent governance, is that he ordains weakness.
Look at verse 7. It says, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being conceited.”
Not the words “was given me.” Those three words point out God’s sovereign activity. This thorn was part of God’s divine plan. It was, you can say, a gift God bestowed upon Paul.
He did not receive this by accident. Paul did not stumble upon a thornbush and get a nasty little jagger stuck in his felsh. It was given to him.
Neither was this something that was Satanic in origin. It was a messenger of Satan, for sure. That which afflicted him did have some sort of devilish power. There was supernatural evil involved in his struggle. But though the powers of hell did happily comply and probably enjoyed the opportunity to multiply Paul’s misery, they were not the ones who were recognized as the prime instigators in the matter.
No. Paul says that this thorn was given to him. It was God’s hand that was at work. This affliction was God’s tool. This messenger of Satan was actually under a higher authority than Satan. Yes, even this evil was constrained to God’s purposes and decree.
This is the first thing that we must understand in this whole ordeal: that it is God who ordains weakness. It is His plan and His doing that are responsible for everything that occurs. And yes, even our trials and tribulations, our miseries and malignancies, are all woven into God’s sovereign plan.
This is the perspective that we must take to heart. We must not think that God is some sad sympathizer who merely watches us from afar and has no control over evil. We hear of some people saying that God weeps when we weep.
Foolishness! No. our lives as the direct result of God’s governance. It is not the devil who is in the details. It is God.
Do you remember the story of Gideon? Gideon called all Israel out to battle and they were up against an army of a couple hundred thousand. And when the Israelites assembled, God said, “There’s too many of you.” He ended up sending thousands of them back home. He whittled the army down to a mere 300 men. 300 vs 150,000. But you know how the story ended. They were victorious.
But that just goes to show that God superintends weakness.
We must thus learn to see each trial as Paul does: a gift. It is God working out His ways. God’s master plan is unfolding and He is working all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose.
Which leads us then to our next point. We have seen that God ordains weakness, it is a reality we must acknowledge. But let us consider God’s purpose for it.
II. The purpose for it [7-8]
Now, the passage before us lists at least three different reasons why God makes us weak. And, the truth be told, I do not think that this is an exhaustive list. God is infinite in wisdom and I’m sure there is no way to truly exhaust all His intentions. I’m sure that what is listed here is only a snippet, but we can be assured that there is good reason for God’s bringing us low.
But I want you to notice what is said here. Paul at least gives us a blueprint to go by. If we do find ourselves weak, perhaps we can assume that God is fulfilling one of these objectives.
One purpose he has is simply…
A. To keep us humble
Look at verse 7. Paul says that the reason he was afflicted with this thorn was to keep him from becoming conceited. As a matter of fact he says that twice in the same verse.
Let it be known that Paul was evil. He was a sinner just like you and me. And the tendencies of his heart are just as putrid as ours.
God had given him a special blessing. Paul was allowed to enter into the realms of glory and get a sneak peek at the dazzeling things here. He says that it was such a wonderful experience that it cannot even be put into words.
And right after that, Paul gets this thorn. God knew that if Paul did not receive this, he would have become arrogant. His pride would have gotten the best of him. He would have walked around thinking that he was better than everyone else. God loved him more. He was more advanced in his spirituality. He would have been real high on himself, kind of like a Corinthian.
So to keep that from happening, God gave him this thorn.
Sometimes God brings us down just so that we don’t too high of a view of ourselves. Here’s a little dose of reality. We just need reminded of just how impoverished we are.
B. To cultivate within us a real dependence on God
Look what happened to Paul. Once he started having this problem, what happened? Paul ended up turning to the Lord. It says that he prayed three times. He turned to God and he was made to seek God.
God didn’t answer the prayer the way he would have liked. He would have preferred it to come out more favorably. But the struggles he endured created a sense of dependence upon God. He sought the Lord more eagerly. He was made to trust the Lord more certainly. He saw that there wasn’t any power in himself, so he had to put his confidence in God’s power.
And sometimes God does that to us. He brings us to the end of ourselves. He actually goes so far as to break us and make us weak. And the reason he does this is so that we become more conscientious of our need for Him. We are made to trust more fully in Him and His power.
Johnsons work with Matt’s mother; Paige’s accident; if you need a better job and are concerned about how far your wages can really stretch. You are made to say, “God, I am completely dependent upon you. I need your power.
C. To create within us a greater appreciation for His grace
Again, Paul prayed and God answered. God said, “My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Think about what is being said here: We are made reliant on God, but we are made to recognize more fully the distinct place of God’s grace in our lives. Now, grace here can possibly be synonymous with God’s overall benevolence and power. But I want you to think about the more specific definition of grace. That of His undeserved favor.
When we think of weakness, we shouldn’t just think of physical weakness. We shouldn’t just think of how there are some things that are just out of our control. We should remember that our primary weakness is our sinful nature (spiritual state).
Some even see that in this passage. Some commentators say that Paul’s point in this section is that he has sin in his life. Some say that the story he told of being let out of the window in Damascus, was a failure on Paul’s part. They say he should have stayed and continued to preach. He should have stood up and been bold, and they say he cowered away like a little baby in a bassinet.
And this whole idea of a thorn in the flesh and demonic messenger. Some will speculate that it is a moral fault that Paul is talking about.
I don’t know if all that is true or not. As I said, it is somewhat speculative. But we recognize that what is said here is general enough to encapsulate all forms of weakness—even your susceptibility to fall into temptation.
And I want you to recognize that God is there orchestrating that too. He isn’t making you sin, but it is part of His plan. And part of the purpose in that is that you will see how weak you are spiritually and how much you need His grace—to pardon you and build you.
When you sin and when the shame of it hits home, this can be a difficult thing. But in that time you are to simply turn your eyes to the cross of Christ and remember that God has already provided for its forgiveness.
Now again, these are probably just a few of the many reasons why God chooses to make us weak. I’m sure this is not an exhaustive list. But it is a good list. A reliable one that we can always keep in mind.
When we do find ourselves in situations where we are faced with our weakness, we don’t have the privilege that Paul here had. Paul says God spoke directly to him and gave him the reason why he had to undergo this thorn. We don’t have that privilege of direct communication from God. But what is said here can be useful. It is good to keep in mind.
Well, this brings us to our last point. We’ve been talking about God’s soverienty in our life’s affairs and how he ordains our weakness. We’ve seen the reality of it and the purpose for it. Let’s talk about the response to it.
III. The response to it [9-10]
You know, there are two responses you can have to God in this regard. You can complain, or you can act like Paul.
Some people will be tempted to complain. They will probably gripe about it and say “Why did God do that?” They will blame God for everything and just take a real bitter attitude towards Him. Maybe you’ve experienced someone do this. They say, “My son was killed. How could God do such a thing?” or “If God really loved me, He’d never have let this or that happen!”
That’s the reaction of someone who doesn’t understand that God is working all things to the good of those who love him. That’s a foolish view of God’s sovereignty. It is really warped. And if you’re complaining about God’s way of doing things, well, let’s just say you’re not very smart.
What I want you to see is how Paul reacts. Paul saw God had been doing some pretty crazy things. Paul looked at how God had brought suffering and pain into his life. Paul realized that God was exposing his weakness and even making him weak, and you know what Paul did? He rejoiced in it.
We’ve heard the word “boast” several times through this section of Scripture. The word can mean “rejoice in.” To boast in something is to rejoice in it in an excessive way. If you boast of your works, you’re vaunting them. You are celebrating them in front of other people in a way that is a little pompous.
So Paul says in verse 9 I will boast (not just a little bit, but) all the more gladly. This language is intensified. He doesn’t just gladly boast. But the word gladly is accentuated in the original language: “All the more gladly.”
Then in verse 10 he repeats this. He says he is content with weakness, hardship, insult, calamity, etc. and again, the English might take a little away. He isn’t just okay with it. That’s the picture we get of contentment, sometimes. The idea here is that he takes pleasure in it. That’s the biblical notion of contentment. True contentment is when you take great satisfaction in something and celebrate what you have. You take real pleasure in it.
So when you take these two verses together you get the idea that Paul is celebrating—he’s reveling in his weakness. And this is the attitude that we are to have. We are to take pleasure in the fact that God has brought us to the end of ourselves and put us in a position where His power and His glory will be more pronounced; more visible to all on earth.
Many of you know of Joni Eareckson Tada and are familiar with her particular weakness. Joni is a quadriplegic and is essentially confined to a wheelchair. She has conducted a wonderful ministry throughout the world and is used by God to encourage a great many. Joni has told the story of a time when a follower of her ministry expressed that she was praying for Joni's healing--praying that Joni would walk again. While Joni was thankful for her support and prayerfulness, she --in so many words-- objected and told her friend that was not necessary. Joni expressed that she was content with her handicap and recognized that her situation had been of great use to God's kingdom. She certainly looked forward to the resurrection and the time when she would be made whole again, but for now she was pleased to be as she was.
Here is a beautiful illustration of someone who has been able to rejoice in her weakness. And it should be an encouragement to us to do the same.
This is the right response to whatever predicament you’re in. Here is God’s opportunity! Here is a situation where God must display himself and His power.
Conclusion:
John Stott shares the following story from 1958 when he was leading a university outreach in Sydney, Australia. The day before the final meeting, Stott received word that his father had passed away. In addition to his grief, Stott was also starting to lose his voice. Here's how Stott describes the final day of the outreach:
It was already late afternoon within a few hours of the final meeting of the mission, so I didn't feel I could back away at that time. I went to the great hall and asked a few students to gather round me. I asked one of them to read … "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). A student read these verses and then I asked them to lay hands on me and … pray that those verses might be true in my own experience.
When time came for me to give my address, I preached on the [broad and narrow ways from Matthew 7]. I had to get within half an inch of the microphone, and I croaked the gospel like a raven. I couldn't exert my personality. I couldn't move. I couldn't use any inflections in my voice. I croaked the gospel in monotone. Then when the time came to give the invitation, there was an immediate response, larger than any other meeting during the mission, as students came flocking forward …
I've been back to Australia about ten times since 1958, and on every occasion somebody has come up to me and said, "Do you remember that final meeting in the university in the great hall?" "I jolly well do," I reply. "Well," they say, "I was converted that night."[2]
_________________________
[1] Our Daily Bread, May 13, 1996
[2] Michael P. Knowles, editor, The Folly of Preaching (Eerdmans, 2007), pp. 137-138; http://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2011/march/7030711.html
Think of Abraham: he was chosen by God to be the channel through which all God’s people would come. But he didn’t receive that calling until he was quite advanced in years. And, really, it didn’t become a reality until many years after he was called by God. As an elderly man he was the epitome of weakness.
You can look at any man: David, he was an unassuming little shepherd boy. Elijah is thought of as a superstar of the faith, but he was the nothing of his day. He was from some backwoods, no name town. Scripture says, “He was a man like unto us.”
Peter was an untrained fisherman. James was one of the “Sons of Thunder”, a rough and ruckus character. Probably not someone who was fit to be a rabbi.
You look all through history and what do you find? You find that God is using those who have some sort of handicap, some sort of limitation, some sort of deficiency.
Certainly that is what we see in the Apostle Paul too. And what we learn is that God –in his infinite wisdom-- has chosen to work through weakness. We can even go so far as to say that he ordains it.
If I might change Hudson Taylor’s statement a bit, I’d say that God doesn’t just look for the weakest. But he creates the weakest. He causes men to be weak.
In the passage before us today I want us to understand that God is fully in charge of our lives and he is one who sometimes forces us to be weak.
Unabashedly weak, because God wants it that way. God makes it that way.
God ordains human weakness: the reality of it, the purpose for it, and the response to it.
I. The reality of it [1-7]
We know that the Lord ordains whatsoever comes to pass. The Scriptures are replete with this jolly chorus. It is a refrain that is sung over and over and over in the pages of God’s word. You cannot get away from the Scripture without having clearly witnessed the fact that God is completely sovereign over all things. Not one thing happens without his direct determination.
Job 42:2 - I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Read through the book of Isaiah, and you will hear about God’s purpose. It cannot be thwarted. It will be established.
God ordains all things. And here in this passage I want you to see that, of all the things that God does in his omnipotent governance, is that he ordains weakness.
Look at verse 7. It says, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being conceited.”
Not the words “was given me.” Those three words point out God’s sovereign activity. This thorn was part of God’s divine plan. It was, you can say, a gift God bestowed upon Paul.
He did not receive this by accident. Paul did not stumble upon a thornbush and get a nasty little jagger stuck in his felsh. It was given to him.
Neither was this something that was Satanic in origin. It was a messenger of Satan, for sure. That which afflicted him did have some sort of devilish power. There was supernatural evil involved in his struggle. But though the powers of hell did happily comply and probably enjoyed the opportunity to multiply Paul’s misery, they were not the ones who were recognized as the prime instigators in the matter.
No. Paul says that this thorn was given to him. It was God’s hand that was at work. This affliction was God’s tool. This messenger of Satan was actually under a higher authority than Satan. Yes, even this evil was constrained to God’s purposes and decree.
This is the first thing that we must understand in this whole ordeal: that it is God who ordains weakness. It is His plan and His doing that are responsible for everything that occurs. And yes, even our trials and tribulations, our miseries and malignancies, are all woven into God’s sovereign plan.
This is the perspective that we must take to heart. We must not think that God is some sad sympathizer who merely watches us from afar and has no control over evil. We hear of some people saying that God weeps when we weep.
Foolishness! No. our lives as the direct result of God’s governance. It is not the devil who is in the details. It is God.
Do you remember the story of Gideon? Gideon called all Israel out to battle and they were up against an army of a couple hundred thousand. And when the Israelites assembled, God said, “There’s too many of you.” He ended up sending thousands of them back home. He whittled the army down to a mere 300 men. 300 vs 150,000. But you know how the story ended. They were victorious.
But that just goes to show that God superintends weakness.
We must thus learn to see each trial as Paul does: a gift. It is God working out His ways. God’s master plan is unfolding and He is working all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose.
Which leads us then to our next point. We have seen that God ordains weakness, it is a reality we must acknowledge. But let us consider God’s purpose for it.
II. The purpose for it [7-8]
Now, the passage before us lists at least three different reasons why God makes us weak. And, the truth be told, I do not think that this is an exhaustive list. God is infinite in wisdom and I’m sure there is no way to truly exhaust all His intentions. I’m sure that what is listed here is only a snippet, but we can be assured that there is good reason for God’s bringing us low.
But I want you to notice what is said here. Paul at least gives us a blueprint to go by. If we do find ourselves weak, perhaps we can assume that God is fulfilling one of these objectives.
One purpose he has is simply…
A. To keep us humble
Look at verse 7. Paul says that the reason he was afflicted with this thorn was to keep him from becoming conceited. As a matter of fact he says that twice in the same verse.
Let it be known that Paul was evil. He was a sinner just like you and me. And the tendencies of his heart are just as putrid as ours.
God had given him a special blessing. Paul was allowed to enter into the realms of glory and get a sneak peek at the dazzeling things here. He says that it was such a wonderful experience that it cannot even be put into words.
And right after that, Paul gets this thorn. God knew that if Paul did not receive this, he would have become arrogant. His pride would have gotten the best of him. He would have walked around thinking that he was better than everyone else. God loved him more. He was more advanced in his spirituality. He would have been real high on himself, kind of like a Corinthian.
So to keep that from happening, God gave him this thorn.
Sometimes God brings us down just so that we don’t too high of a view of ourselves. Here’s a little dose of reality. We just need reminded of just how impoverished we are.
B. To cultivate within us a real dependence on God
Look what happened to Paul. Once he started having this problem, what happened? Paul ended up turning to the Lord. It says that he prayed three times. He turned to God and he was made to seek God.
God didn’t answer the prayer the way he would have liked. He would have preferred it to come out more favorably. But the struggles he endured created a sense of dependence upon God. He sought the Lord more eagerly. He was made to trust the Lord more certainly. He saw that there wasn’t any power in himself, so he had to put his confidence in God’s power.
And sometimes God does that to us. He brings us to the end of ourselves. He actually goes so far as to break us and make us weak. And the reason he does this is so that we become more conscientious of our need for Him. We are made to trust more fully in Him and His power.
Johnsons work with Matt’s mother; Paige’s accident; if you need a better job and are concerned about how far your wages can really stretch. You are made to say, “God, I am completely dependent upon you. I need your power.
C. To create within us a greater appreciation for His grace
Again, Paul prayed and God answered. God said, “My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Think about what is being said here: We are made reliant on God, but we are made to recognize more fully the distinct place of God’s grace in our lives. Now, grace here can possibly be synonymous with God’s overall benevolence and power. But I want you to think about the more specific definition of grace. That of His undeserved favor.
When we think of weakness, we shouldn’t just think of physical weakness. We shouldn’t just think of how there are some things that are just out of our control. We should remember that our primary weakness is our sinful nature (spiritual state).
Some even see that in this passage. Some commentators say that Paul’s point in this section is that he has sin in his life. Some say that the story he told of being let out of the window in Damascus, was a failure on Paul’s part. They say he should have stayed and continued to preach. He should have stood up and been bold, and they say he cowered away like a little baby in a bassinet.
And this whole idea of a thorn in the flesh and demonic messenger. Some will speculate that it is a moral fault that Paul is talking about.
I don’t know if all that is true or not. As I said, it is somewhat speculative. But we recognize that what is said here is general enough to encapsulate all forms of weakness—even your susceptibility to fall into temptation.
And I want you to recognize that God is there orchestrating that too. He isn’t making you sin, but it is part of His plan. And part of the purpose in that is that you will see how weak you are spiritually and how much you need His grace—to pardon you and build you.
When you sin and when the shame of it hits home, this can be a difficult thing. But in that time you are to simply turn your eyes to the cross of Christ and remember that God has already provided for its forgiveness.
Now again, these are probably just a few of the many reasons why God chooses to make us weak. I’m sure this is not an exhaustive list. But it is a good list. A reliable one that we can always keep in mind.
When we do find ourselves in situations where we are faced with our weakness, we don’t have the privilege that Paul here had. Paul says God spoke directly to him and gave him the reason why he had to undergo this thorn. We don’t have that privilege of direct communication from God. But what is said here can be useful. It is good to keep in mind.
Well, this brings us to our last point. We’ve been talking about God’s soverienty in our life’s affairs and how he ordains our weakness. We’ve seen the reality of it and the purpose for it. Let’s talk about the response to it.
III. The response to it [9-10]
You know, there are two responses you can have to God in this regard. You can complain, or you can act like Paul.
Some people will be tempted to complain. They will probably gripe about it and say “Why did God do that?” They will blame God for everything and just take a real bitter attitude towards Him. Maybe you’ve experienced someone do this. They say, “My son was killed. How could God do such a thing?” or “If God really loved me, He’d never have let this or that happen!”
That’s the reaction of someone who doesn’t understand that God is working all things to the good of those who love him. That’s a foolish view of God’s sovereignty. It is really warped. And if you’re complaining about God’s way of doing things, well, let’s just say you’re not very smart.
What I want you to see is how Paul reacts. Paul saw God had been doing some pretty crazy things. Paul looked at how God had brought suffering and pain into his life. Paul realized that God was exposing his weakness and even making him weak, and you know what Paul did? He rejoiced in it.
We’ve heard the word “boast” several times through this section of Scripture. The word can mean “rejoice in.” To boast in something is to rejoice in it in an excessive way. If you boast of your works, you’re vaunting them. You are celebrating them in front of other people in a way that is a little pompous.
So Paul says in verse 9 I will boast (not just a little bit, but) all the more gladly. This language is intensified. He doesn’t just gladly boast. But the word gladly is accentuated in the original language: “All the more gladly.”
Then in verse 10 he repeats this. He says he is content with weakness, hardship, insult, calamity, etc. and again, the English might take a little away. He isn’t just okay with it. That’s the picture we get of contentment, sometimes. The idea here is that he takes pleasure in it. That’s the biblical notion of contentment. True contentment is when you take great satisfaction in something and celebrate what you have. You take real pleasure in it.
So when you take these two verses together you get the idea that Paul is celebrating—he’s reveling in his weakness. And this is the attitude that we are to have. We are to take pleasure in the fact that God has brought us to the end of ourselves and put us in a position where His power and His glory will be more pronounced; more visible to all on earth.
Many of you know of Joni Eareckson Tada and are familiar with her particular weakness. Joni is a quadriplegic and is essentially confined to a wheelchair. She has conducted a wonderful ministry throughout the world and is used by God to encourage a great many. Joni has told the story of a time when a follower of her ministry expressed that she was praying for Joni's healing--praying that Joni would walk again. While Joni was thankful for her support and prayerfulness, she --in so many words-- objected and told her friend that was not necessary. Joni expressed that she was content with her handicap and recognized that her situation had been of great use to God's kingdom. She certainly looked forward to the resurrection and the time when she would be made whole again, but for now she was pleased to be as she was.
Here is a beautiful illustration of someone who has been able to rejoice in her weakness. And it should be an encouragement to us to do the same.
This is the right response to whatever predicament you’re in. Here is God’s opportunity! Here is a situation where God must display himself and His power.
Conclusion:
John Stott shares the following story from 1958 when he was leading a university outreach in Sydney, Australia. The day before the final meeting, Stott received word that his father had passed away. In addition to his grief, Stott was also starting to lose his voice. Here's how Stott describes the final day of the outreach:
It was already late afternoon within a few hours of the final meeting of the mission, so I didn't feel I could back away at that time. I went to the great hall and asked a few students to gather round me. I asked one of them to read … "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). A student read these verses and then I asked them to lay hands on me and … pray that those verses might be true in my own experience.
When time came for me to give my address, I preached on the [broad and narrow ways from Matthew 7]. I had to get within half an inch of the microphone, and I croaked the gospel like a raven. I couldn't exert my personality. I couldn't move. I couldn't use any inflections in my voice. I croaked the gospel in monotone. Then when the time came to give the invitation, there was an immediate response, larger than any other meeting during the mission, as students came flocking forward …
I've been back to Australia about ten times since 1958, and on every occasion somebody has come up to me and said, "Do you remember that final meeting in the university in the great hall?" "I jolly well do," I reply. "Well," they say, "I was converted that night."[2]
_________________________
[1] Our Daily Bread, May 13, 1996
[2] Michael P. Knowles, editor, The Folly of Preaching (Eerdmans, 2007), pp. 137-138; http://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2011/march/7030711.html