EM Worship Service (12/31/17)

Text: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Summary: 
Why does God reject our prayers sometimes? Based on the bible, God refuses to answer our prayers when He has a higher will for us. It's always intentional. Which means, we are not supposed to be disappointed but to know the reason.
In today's passage, apostle Paul was suffering from his thorn in flesh. It needs to be removed for his ministry. However, God didn't answer his prayer. Why? It was because this thorn protects Paul from pride. God cares for Paul himself rather than his achievements. God wants Paul's humility with thorn more than his fruitful ministry without thorn. This is God's love and this is the importance of humility. 
Why this humility matters? Because humility is the vessel of grace. While proud minds degenerates grace, humility contains grace. How? First of all, people are obedient when they are humble. We tend to force God to answer our prayers as we prayed. This is the opposite of obedience. Apostle Paul was humble so he was able accept God's rejection and that was the reason of his great delight. Secondly, humility is the vessel of grace by helping us to be content. Apostle Paul was able to be satisfied by only grace when he had a thorn. With a thorn, he had to go through difficulties, but it kept him to rely on God. (1 Cor. 1:9) Lastly, humility contains grace and it results in Christ's power resting upon us. The works Paul had done was not his power but God's. God's power is not what we normally think in this era. This power is not to oppress but to serve, not to take but to give, not to win but to loose, and not to hate but to forgive. We can have that power only when we are humble. 
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[Announcements]
1. Pray for the EM retreat (Jan. 5-7, Come to church by 8pm this Friday)
2. Happy New Year to All