Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Hello again. Today’s message will be the 30th in our current sermon series titled, “The Messed Up Church: Paul’s Letters to Corinth”. We have discovered that the church in Corinth was indeed a messed up church that suffered with many problems. Paul addressed several of these issues in 1 Corinthians. However the majority of the church turned against him and rejected his council. This led to the writing of 2 Corinthians, which we began last Sunday.
The passage we’ll examine this morning is a popular scripture among pastors for funerals. I have used it myself many times. It deals with comfort and is appropriate for families who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Of course, there are many other occasions when we need encouragement and comfort from our sorrows. I have titled this message, “Comfort in Suffering”.
I. THE GOD OF COMFORT (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
After introducing his letter, Paul blessed God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity. He called Him the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. If you think about it, when God comforts us it is an expression of His undeserved mercy. Paul wrote that God comforts us in our affliction so that we will be able to comfort others suffering in affliction with the same comfort that we’ve received from Him.
Paul made it clear that God is the source of all comfort - that is, all true comfort. Those who are hurting seek to find comfort in all sorts of things. Some turn to people, while others turn to things. Family, friends, and even counselors may help. Proper medications might be appropriate in some cases. Unfortunately, many try to drown their sorrows in a bottle, through drug abuse, or other destructive practices. In the end, only the Lord can provide lasting, healing comfort.
Paul wrote 2 Corinthians after receiving a report that the church had repented and turned back to God (for the most part). While there were still a few rebels, most had humbled themselves and shown a restored faith in Paul (2 Corinthians 7:5-7). News of this turnaround was very comforting, especially seeing that he’d grieved their fallen condition for several months.
II. SHARERS OF THE SAME (2 Cor. 1:5-7)
Paul continued that though he and his companion’s sufferings were abundant, so also was Christ’s comfort. He explained that their sufferings were for the benefit of the Corinthians, and their comfort came from knowing that the Corinthians themselves had been comforted from similar sufferings. Paul expressed a firmly grounded hope in the Corinthians because they were sharers in both his sufferings and comfort.
God’s comfort is all sufficient for our sufferings. There is no sorrow, heartbreak, or hurt that God cannot remedy. It is true that some pains never completely go away - nor should they - yet we can trust the Father to hold us and sustain us through the brokenness. When sufferings come, His comfort abounds (Psalm 34:18).
Did you notice that Paul described the Corinthians as sharers in both his sufferings and comfort? Though their experiences were somewhat different, both faced persecution and enjoyed relief. We as Christians are called to bear each other's burdens (Galatians 6:2). We are to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). We should share each other’s highs and lows. We are a family called to mutually support one another and walk through life together.
III. DELIVERED THROUGH PRAYER (2 Cor. 1:8-11)
Paul candidly informed the Corinthians that he and his colleagues had endured extreme affliction and faced significant burdens during their time in Asia, to the point that they despaired for their lives. Their situation was dire and beyond their control, to the point that they were forced to trust in God alone for deliverance. Just as the LORD had delivered them from that danger, Paul trusted that He would continue to do so in the future. He acknowledged that the prayers of the Corinthians (as well as those of many others) had helped them experience God’s favor.
What was this deathly peril that Paul and his friends faced in Asia? Well, we don’t know for certain. As we progress through this letter, Paul will openly share many details from and accounts of his various travels, sufferings, and afflictions. In this particular case, he might have been referring to the riotous crowd in Ephesus that was intent on harming him and those with him (Acts 19:28ff). Perhaps it refers to something else…
Paul was thankful for the numerous prayers that had been offered on his team’s behalf. He said that God’s favor had been bestowed upon them through the prayers of many. Beloved, our prayers change things. Prayers yield results. It is God’s will and repeated command in scripture that we pray for one another (and in everything). So, if we don’t turn to God in prayer we are acting in clear-cut disobedience and are functioning outside of His will. Our prayers may not always be answered in the manner we’d like or on the timeline we’d desire, but remember this - God never answers unoffered prayers. Think about that for a minute.
CONCLUSION
As we close this morning, let’s quickly review a few of the main points from today’s message.
First, all true and lasting comfort comes from God. He might bestow it through someone or something, or He might bestow it directly as we lean on Him, but either way He is responsible for it. The comforts of this world are fleeting and hollow. They will never satisfy.
Second, we as believers are called to share one another’s sufferings and comfort. We are to shed tears of joy and tears of sorrow together. While we are all individuals, we must not neglect the fellowship and community that binds all Christians together.
Third, God desires to deliver His people through prayer. Prayer is the prerequisite. We may not always get the answers we want, but we’ll never get any answers if we don’t ask any questions. Place your petitions before God and trust Him with the results. Prayer makes a difference.
Putting this all together, let me offer the following invitation. If you are suffering this morning and in need of God’s comfort, would you turn to Him just now? Would you allow others to share your burden and pray for and even with you? Would you do likewise for them?
Hello again. Today’s message will be the 30th in our current sermon series titled, “The Messed Up Church: Paul’s Letters to Corinth”. We have discovered that the church in Corinth was indeed a messed up church that suffered with many problems. Paul addressed several of these issues in 1 Corinthians. However the majority of the church turned against him and rejected his council. This led to the writing of 2 Corinthians, which we began last Sunday.
The passage we’ll examine this morning is a popular scripture among pastors for funerals. I have used it myself many times. It deals with comfort and is appropriate for families who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Of course, there are many other occasions when we need encouragement and comfort from our sorrows. I have titled this message, “Comfort in Suffering”.
I. THE GOD OF COMFORT (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
After introducing his letter, Paul blessed God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity. He called Him the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. If you think about it, when God comforts us it is an expression of His undeserved mercy. Paul wrote that God comforts us in our affliction so that we will be able to comfort others suffering in affliction with the same comfort that we’ve received from Him.
Paul made it clear that God is the source of all comfort - that is, all true comfort. Those who are hurting seek to find comfort in all sorts of things. Some turn to people, while others turn to things. Family, friends, and even counselors may help. Proper medications might be appropriate in some cases. Unfortunately, many try to drown their sorrows in a bottle, through drug abuse, or other destructive practices. In the end, only the Lord can provide lasting, healing comfort.
Paul wrote 2 Corinthians after receiving a report that the church had repented and turned back to God (for the most part). While there were still a few rebels, most had humbled themselves and shown a restored faith in Paul (2 Corinthians 7:5-7). News of this turnaround was very comforting, especially seeing that he’d grieved their fallen condition for several months.
II. SHARERS OF THE SAME (2 Cor. 1:5-7)
Paul continued that though he and his companion’s sufferings were abundant, so also was Christ’s comfort. He explained that their sufferings were for the benefit of the Corinthians, and their comfort came from knowing that the Corinthians themselves had been comforted from similar sufferings. Paul expressed a firmly grounded hope in the Corinthians because they were sharers in both his sufferings and comfort.
God’s comfort is all sufficient for our sufferings. There is no sorrow, heartbreak, or hurt that God cannot remedy. It is true that some pains never completely go away - nor should they - yet we can trust the Father to hold us and sustain us through the brokenness. When sufferings come, His comfort abounds (Psalm 34:18).
Did you notice that Paul described the Corinthians as sharers in both his sufferings and comfort? Though their experiences were somewhat different, both faced persecution and enjoyed relief. We as Christians are called to bear each other's burdens (Galatians 6:2). We are to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). We should share each other’s highs and lows. We are a family called to mutually support one another and walk through life together.
III. DELIVERED THROUGH PRAYER (2 Cor. 1:8-11)
Paul candidly informed the Corinthians that he and his colleagues had endured extreme affliction and faced significant burdens during their time in Asia, to the point that they despaired for their lives. Their situation was dire and beyond their control, to the point that they were forced to trust in God alone for deliverance. Just as the LORD had delivered them from that danger, Paul trusted that He would continue to do so in the future. He acknowledged that the prayers of the Corinthians (as well as those of many others) had helped them experience God’s favor.
What was this deathly peril that Paul and his friends faced in Asia? Well, we don’t know for certain. As we progress through this letter, Paul will openly share many details from and accounts of his various travels, sufferings, and afflictions. In this particular case, he might have been referring to the riotous crowd in Ephesus that was intent on harming him and those with him (Acts 19:28ff). Perhaps it refers to something else…
Paul was thankful for the numerous prayers that had been offered on his team’s behalf. He said that God’s favor had been bestowed upon them through the prayers of many. Beloved, our prayers change things. Prayers yield results. It is God’s will and repeated command in scripture that we pray for one another (and in everything). So, if we don’t turn to God in prayer we are acting in clear-cut disobedience and are functioning outside of His will. Our prayers may not always be answered in the manner we’d like or on the timeline we’d desire, but remember this - God never answers unoffered prayers. Think about that for a minute.
CONCLUSION
As we close this morning, let’s quickly review a few of the main points from today’s message.
First, all true and lasting comfort comes from God. He might bestow it through someone or something, or He might bestow it directly as we lean on Him, but either way He is responsible for it. The comforts of this world are fleeting and hollow. They will never satisfy.
Second, we as believers are called to share one another’s sufferings and comfort. We are to shed tears of joy and tears of sorrow together. While we are all individuals, we must not neglect the fellowship and community that binds all Christians together.
Third, God desires to deliver His people through prayer. Prayer is the prerequisite. We may not always get the answers we want, but we’ll never get any answers if we don’t ask any questions. Place your petitions before God and trust Him with the results. Prayer makes a difference.
Putting this all together, let me offer the following invitation. If you are suffering this morning and in need of God’s comfort, would you turn to Him just now? Would you allow others to share your burden and pray for and even with you? Would you do likewise for them?