GOD OF ALL COMFORT

2 Corinthians 1:3-11

Introduction

1. Affliction and persecution - problems that face Christians every day -

a. Paul's list - 11:23-30

b. Paul's teaching -

c. Christ's teaching -

2. THROUGH all such - God is the God of all comfort

1. sometimes - by deliverance

a. vs 8 - 10

1. with the apostles - sometimes even miraculous - Paul's stoning -

2. sometimes - just 'healing' -

3. Sometimes - by sustaining 'until death' - i.e., James in Acts 12

b. REMEMBER - comfort IN affliction not necessarily deliverance FROM affliction -

1. There are ways that we can be comforted even while we 'endure' -

2. This often isn't what we want to hear - but is so needful ...

2. Comforted by others

a. vs. 4 - 'we may be able to comfort them who are in trouble' ....

b. Paul by the coming of Titus - and the good news of the lives of the Corinthians 7:4-7

c. Hence - Heb. 10:25; Acts 2: 42 -

3. By the PROMISES of God

a. 1 Thess. 4:18 -

b. Forgiveness of sins - 1 John 1:8-9

c. Based upon the faithfulness of God ... -

d. Hence the need for out LEARNING before the trials, the stedfastness of encouraging / teaching

4. By PRAYERS -

a. cp. Vs. 11 -

b. based upon FACT that God hears our prayers and answers them -

c. NEED - more SPIRITUAL requests -

5. By learning to look at life differently!

a. cp. Vs. 9 - THAT .....

b. This was Paul's outlook in vs. 3-4,

c. Hence -

1. The apostles counting it joy to suffer - Acts 5

2. The meaning of Jesus teaching in Mtt. 5:

d. LESSON TO LEARN: God often works for the FUTURE

1. This makes it difficult for us to figure out what is really going on sometimes - but that is to be expected!

2. Examples -

a. Joseph -

b. Paul's suffering - so able to comfort Corinthians -

c. Corinthians - to be able to comfort yet OTHERS

5. Sometimes - comfort comes by first being made uncomfortable! -

a. As per above - able to comfort by 'having been there' -

b. As per chapter 7:7ff -

1. the reprimand of 1st letter - caused 'sorrow' - UNTO repentance - caused JOY....

Conclusions:

1. Let us be content with life - learning to 'endure' - continue to do what is right in the face of evil...

2. Let us learn to trust God when we don't understand

3. Let us learn to USE our 'gifts' for the benefit of others,

a. whether the gift of affliction and suffering - or $ - or experience - or???

Hugh DeLong
Email: hugh@azstarnet.com
HomePage: http://www.azstarnet.com/~hugh/StarNet2/