Able To Comfort

Q: What does the Bible say about comfort for believers?

The Bible teaches that God is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, providing peace to believers through Christ. The scriptures reveal that God is deeply concerned for His people, offering them comfort in their tribulations. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul emphasizes that God comforts us in all our tribulation, equipping us to comfort others with the same comfort we receive. This assurance reflects the promise that, despite our struggles, we are not alone, and God’s grace is sufficient for us. Paul reminds us that the sufferings of Christ abound in us, but so does our consolation through Him (2 Corinthians 1:5). The source of this comfort is rooted in understanding our identity as sinners saved by grace, knowing that God has not abandoned us in our afflictions but rather walks alongside us.

Q: How do we know God's grace is true?

God's grace is validated through the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross, which justifies and redeems sinners. The truth of God's grace is demonstrated in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, as articulated in Romans 3:24-26, which states that we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. This means that God, in His sovereignty, has graciously chosen to forgive and redeem sinners through His Son, fulfilling His promises. Through Christ, God declared His righteousness, enabling Him to be both just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus. Therefore, the assurance of God's grace comes from His eternal purpose and plan of salvation, which is not based on our merit but solely on His love and purpose for His people. As believers, we can trust that God's grace is true because it is consistently revealed in Scripture and through our experiences of His faithfulness.

Q: Why is understanding sin important for Christians?

Understanding sin is crucial for Christians as it highlights our need for grace and points to the necessity of salvation through Christ. The Bible clearly outlines that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). This recognition of sin is vital for every believer; it not only establishes our need for a Savior but also deepens our appreciation for God's grace. If we do not understand our sinful condition, we can easily fall into the trap of self-righteousness, thinking we can earn favor with God through our actions. By comprehending the severity of sin, we are led to acknowledge our inability to save ourselves, thus paving the way for us to experience the richness of God's grace through Jesus Christ. It serves as a reminder of our reliance on God for salvation and helps maintain a posture of humility and gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ, which provides forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

Q: Why do Christians experience suffering?

Christians suffer to experience the fellowship of Christ's sufferings and to be shaped into His likeness. The New Testament speaks extensively about the sufferings of believers. In 2 Corinthians 1:5, Paul asserts that as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so does our consolation. This implies a connection between our afflictions and the life of Christ in us. Suffering is not without purpose; it serves to identify us with Christ, who endured immense suffering for our sake. Paul further emphasizes that suffering produces endurance, character, and hope (Romans 5:3-5). Our trials are understood as means through which God molds us, reminds us of our dependence on Him, and encourages us to minister to others. Furthermore, as we understand and share in the sufferings of Christ, we grow in our faith and ability to empathize with others in their trials. Ultimately, suffering is a part of God’s sovereign plan to draw His people closer to Himself and solidify their hope in eternal glory.

So 2 Corinthians chapter 1. And today, I want to look at the comfort that the believer has in the Lord Jesus Christ. And we'll look at it from verses 2 through 7 here in our passage. Now, the first thing before we get started, the scriptures make it known to us that all are sinners, all are dead in trespasses and sins. That means that we are born of corrupt seed. We are born spiritually dead, ignorant of the true and living God, without light and understanding of the Lord. Now, in describing what spiritual death looks like, we read in Romans 3 that it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.

There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God, not after the true and living God, an idle God, perhaps, but not the true and living God. They are all gone out of the way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Their throat is an open sepulcher or a grave. With their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of asps or poisonous snakes is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." And because Man spiritually does not know God. There's nothing good, there's nothing profitable that we do to benefit God. There's nothing profitable that we do to spiritually profit another. Nothing that we say, that our words are corrupt, they're deceitful. When we start talking our opinions about God, expressing our opinions about God, they're just corrupt. They're corrupt, and they deceive, and there's nothing profitable there.

So with that being the case, with that being true, I'm thankful for the scriptures which reveal to us this very truth, saying that the scriptures have concluded all under sin. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We're all in this, in the same spot. We're all sinners. in need of the grace of God. And the scriptures make this clear, not just to hold it over our heads, not to make us feel bad about ourselves.

The scriptures make this clear. that we might hear the truth, in order to make us to hear the truth, saying that the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. You that trust God, you that hear God, you that believe him, it's for that purpose. And so there's a good purpose in God making known to us that we're sinners, because that's what he uses to open our ear to hear the one whom he has sent, to hear Christ, to listen, to lean in and hear, well, then how then can I be saved? If I'm not righteous, if I can't make a righteousness for myself, how then can I be saved?

Well, it's through the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the grace of God for sinners. He is the grace of God for sinners. That is the good news. And so with that understanding, Paul writes these things in 2 Corinthians 1, and we'll begin in verse 2, where he says, grace be to you. Grace be to you. He's writing to believers. You that are gathering with the people of God, you that believe God and confess, I need him. I want to know him.

You that are gathered with the church, with the people of God, grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what the gospel of God declares to us who are sinners. Peace, peace, peace, peace with holy God. We that are sinners, we that have offended the true and living God, he says peace unto you. grace and peace unto you." The scriptures reveal to us that God is just to forgive us of our sins.

He's just to be the very justifier of his people, saying also in Romans chapter 3, verses 24 through 26, being justified freely. That's speaking of us. We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, through the Son of God who came in the flesh because we are sinners and cannot save ourselves.

But he came being sent to the Father for this gracious purpose, to redeem us, to purchase us with his own blood, which he did through his suffering on the cross in the room instead of his people. to purchase us from death, to give us life and light and understanding of the true and living God. And it says of him whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. And that word propitiate means that the wrath of God was upon us while Christ came and turned that wrath from us to himself. He made a covering for us. to deliver us from the wrath of God, to declare His righteousness for the remission or the forgiveness of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God. In other words, God doesn't now love us because of Christ.

He loved us in eternity. He chose us in Christ and therefore purposed to provide our salvation, everything we need He provides it freely, graciously, sovereignly, wondrously in the Lord Jesus Christ. To declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

So God's done nothing wrong here. In a court of law, as it were, God is just to forgive us because Christ's blood has purged us of our sins. He's removed us of that sin. And not only that, but he gives us life, removing the enmity that's in us, which was against God. By removing that with his blood, putting that away so that now there is light and fellowship and that love between us and the Father.

So for sinners, this is a comforting word, isn't it? You that are sinners, isn't this comforting to us? For those who stand in their own righteousness, however, for those who are not sinners, for those who have a righteousness and have their life, as it were, in this world, they don't care. It's not good news to them. But to you who are sinners, to you who know your guilt and the shame of your sin, that's good news.

To know that the father loves me, the father cares for me, the father sent his son and gave his son for me. Thanks be unto God. We bless God in our hearts. We thank God in our hearts. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. And as you go through this life, As you go through various days that are difficult and you see the infirmity of this flesh and you feel your shame and you feel disappointed in yourself, you can thank God that He should be merciful and kind and gracious to me, that He should remember His covenant for Christ's sake with me, and be merciful and forgiving to me, that he loves me and doesn't cast me off." So for sinners, this grace of God is very comforting.

And Paul, knowing what he is in himself, what he stands in need of as a sinner himself, the Apostle Paul, He prays for God's grace for the church, saying, grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. He's assuring us of this promise. Paul then praises, or he thanks God in verse 3, saying, blessed be God. That's what he's saying. Praise be God. Thanks be to God.

That's what it is, to bless God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, by calling God the Father of Christ, he's not talking about by creation, when God created things. Christ is our Lord. The Son of God is not created. He's not talking about God as his creator, nor is he talking about God the Father as we are adopted, into the family of God as believers. He's not speaking of Christ in an adopted way.

What he's talking about there is that the Son of God is eternal with the Father. He is the same with the Father in all things. He has the same nature. The Son is equal to the Father in his perfections, in his power, in his glory, in his eternality, in his sovereignty, In His will, they are one. One.

And this title, Father, is used for our God in covenant relation to the mediator whom He's provided for you, His people. You that believe Him. You that are sinners. You that have no righteousness apart from Christ. He is one with His Son in this. He's the Father. of these blessed things given to us in the Son.

Galatians 3.16 says, Now to Abraham and to his seed, where the promise is made, he saith not unto seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. So it's in that sense that he's the father of the Son in relation to our Lord as the mediator of his people. through whom all the blessings of God flow and come to us. And so as we have one mediator who has reconciled us to Holy God, our God and Savior is called the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

Everything you need in this life, everything you need for light and love and comfort and peace and understanding with the true and living God is provided freely for you in and by the Lord Jesus Christ to comfort you, to not turn your mind to, what do I got to do to get saved?

To speak like that. You're not looking, what do I got to do now to earn the favor of God, to get the blessings of God? You could spend a lifetime trying to do that and get nowhere. because we're not righteous in and of ourselves. God's taking care of that whole thing for us.

Everything that we need is provided freely in Christ so that whatever trouble we find, the everlasting Lord gives it to us, provides it freely for us in Christ. And so when things go wrong, When plans fall through, when everything seems to be changing for the worse, take comfort in your God who purposes to only do you good. Understand that everything, every turn, every difficulty, every good thing, every bad thing, as we would interpret it, is given with the good purpose of God for you.

All right, for your health, for what you need, for what he's teaching you and how he's using you in the body of Christ, it's for your good. And so whether it's going bad or whether it's going good, don't put confidence in yourself. It's not because you're good or you're so smart or you're so wise or you're so intelligent. It's not that. It's because God has purpose to give it to you for your good.

And now in verse four, This is all seen here, who comforted us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. And so whatever the reason for our tribulation, whether it's causing pain or anguish, or frustration or anger or difficulties for us in any trouble, Paul says. God does this for us in any trouble to meet our need in any trouble. We are blessed of God to be comforted of God in his grace and mercy.

In Hebrews 13, five and six, it says of this, let your conversation, your walk, your manner of life, let your conversation be without covetousness. Why does it say that? What would you be coveting? Well, because we see neighbors, we see family, we see people who don't seem to have the struggles that we have.

Why is it so difficult? Why do we have tribulation? Why do we suffer? Why are there difficulties? Why are there oppositions? Why don't things work out the way they should just work out? If God is God, and I'm a child of God, why do things go the way that they go? Why does that happen?

Well, he says, be content with such things as ye have. For he saith, for one thing, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. In other words, even when it's dark and things go a different way than you thought they should or would go. He says, I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee.

And so if the ease and comfort of this world seems to always miss you, always evade you, and always go to someone else, don't put your heart on those things. Don't focus on what you're not having or what you're not getting. We're miserable like that. and we're hateful and we're, it's just, it's an ugly look to be worried about what good things other people have. Because you don't, for one thing, we don't even know what their struggles are or their difficulties are. And so don't even think about it in that sense, but lay this to your heart.

The true and living God says, I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that, verse six, we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man shall do unto me. And so in this world, we see how hurtful, how angry, how hateful man is and what hurtful things he can do against us to harm us, but we don't need to fear God. trust the Lord in it, whatever the situation, whatever the circumstance, trust the true and living God in it, trust him for his grace and mercy. Now Paul says here that we are comforted of God in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. And so this is speaking of a spirit of grace which the Lord gives to his people, for them to be able to comfort their brethren, for us to serve and minister the body of Christ, to provide for them according to their needs, is that we may be gracious, kind, and generous to others.

And so, for example, David, we read of David, and when he became king, he sought to, he wanted to know, is there any of the household of Saul that's known about, that I may show them kindness. And he said that I may show them the kindness of God. In other words, he knew that when Saul was king, He was being hunted and persecuted by the house of Saul. Now that David's king, those of the household of Saul are probably thinking, David's coming after me. He's going to persecute me the way my father or my grandfather or my uncle persecuted him. And David said, no, I don't want to do that.

I want to show them the kindness that God showed to me. how he provided for me in the wilderness, how he preserved me, how he kept me. I want to do that for others, even if they're my enemies, even if they're of the household of my enemies. Additionally, Paul encouraged the Ephesians to speak to one another that which was edifying to them, to build them up, to comfort them, to teach them of the true and living God, to put our hearts and minds on the Lord our God. Desiring, he said, that it may minister grace to the hearers. Now think about that.

How do you and I minister grace to those who hear us and talk to us. How is it possible that we minister grace to anyone? Well, because we speak of the things that that the Lord has taught us, wherein he's been gracious to us. We can testify and bear witness of what the Lord has done for us. We can comfort others with the same words and thoughts that the Lord has comforted us with. And that's how you minister grace to others, in testifying and bearing witness of the Lord and what he's done for you, believing him, testifying of him, And Christ speaks of us loving one another as Christ loved us. How did he love us? By laying down his life for us, by providing for us freely, graciously, very kindly.

And Paul adds, even in 2 Corinthians 13, 8, and 9, he says, for we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. We're only bearing witness to the truth that God has revealed to us in Christ. For we are glad, he says, when we are weak, and ye are strong. And this also we wish, even your perfection.

Paul, what's amazing when you think about Paul is the sacrifice that he was called in laying down his life for the service of the church. I mean, we have so much of the New Testament because Paul didn't go about doing his own thing. He laid down his life for the church. And it's still benefiting the church to this day.

And that's what we're called to do. Every time we come here, every bit of ourselves that we give to the church, to the body of Christ, in ministering to the people of God, is good. It's for the church. It's for future generations, even. That we might all know, and that they might know, as we know, all that the Lord has done for us. Now, we do this because of the family relationship that we have with our God in the body of Christ, through the blood of Christ.

So, verse five now, 2 Corinthians 1.5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

So this is speaking of a suffering of Christ. Christ suffering. How does Christ still suffer? What's he talking about? He's talking about the body of Christ and that our Lord suffers with us. How so? When we're persecuted. When we are tried, when we go through the difficulties of this life, there's a suffering that our Savior feels, that he knows. As our high priest, he knows and understands that. All our afflictions, our sorrows, our difficulties, the Lord feels these things. He shares in these things with us.

For example, when Paul was persecuting the Church of Christ, And he was on the road to Damascus, going to arrest believers, to put them in jail, and put them to death. Christ appeared to him, right? Christ appeared to him and said, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? How is Paul persecuting Christ? In persecuting the body. And yet the Lord said, you're persecuting me. You're doing this to me. And so he revealed himself when Paul said, well, who are you, Lord? Who am I persecuting? I'm Jesus, whom you persecute. And so he revealed himself to that.

And so the Lord feels what we are going through. He knows what we're going through. And this speaks to our weakness, right? Even though we ourselves have this treasure in earthen vessels, Paul said, we do feel these things. It's purpose of God that we would feel these sufferings, that we would feel the hatred of this world, to know the opposition of the world the way our Savior knew it. And he knows what we go through as well.

We're going to have difficulties. We're going to have oppositions. We're going to be persecuted. We're going to have dark and difficult days. It's going to happen. Paul said, we're troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed but not in despair. We are persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest or evident in our body. And so we're always dying in Christ, and that's what difficulties, that's what hard times, that's what persecutions, that's what those difficulties do for us because they make us to see the infirmity of this flesh, they make us to see the vanity of this world and the things of this world and the fleeting nature, the passing nature of the things of this world. that we might look for Christ, that we might be looking for his return, that we would confess, Maranatha, come, Lord Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus. I'm ready for you to come.

He works that in our hearts. Because otherwise, if everything went well all the time, we wouldn't be looking for his coming. It just wouldn't happen. We'd be looking to build ourselves up more and more in this world, but instead, he does it in such a manner, a sovereign, gracious manner, so as to keep us humble, to keep us ever looking to Christ and needing Christ. It's for our good, because there's many, as you'll see, there's many in life that come and then fall away, or come and fall away. And we don't want to be that. We don't want to have that apostasy. And the Lord knows how to keep his people. He knows how to save them that are his.

And he does it in a manner that brings us to the feet of Christ and in a worshipful, loving, caring heart to know him. And so our Lord speaks of the fellowship that believers have with Christ in our sufferings. He said, inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, You've done it unto me. And so he knows when we're persecuted, he's persecuted. When we're troubled, he's troubled, but he uses it for our good, to draw near and to minister to us.

And so if you would serve Christ and walk according to the will of God for you, so love your brethren. Love and care for your brethren who are in the world because We need it. It's a ministration to us. And when you do it, you're ministering to your brethren, and laying down your life for the church, and providing for the church in the wilderness, and comforting her, and showing kindness to her people, that is your brethren, and loving her in good times and in bad, just like a marriage. Loving her in good times and bad, you're providing for that body.

Whatever we give, it all comes out of the gifts and blessings of our God for us. Paul said at the end of verse 5, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. coming from what our Lord teaches us and gives to us. And these are the fruits of the Spirit born in us, right? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, temperance, meekness.

Then Paul adds in verse six, And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer, or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation." And so here we see the gracious understanding that God gave to Paul.

Paul wasn't just absorbed in himself. He wasn't only thinking of himself, He was given a gracious spirit to think for others and to understand that what happens to me is for the good of God's people. It's to be used for the Lord. I don't remember what verse it is, but Paul describes himself as a drink offering, which is poured out for the people. He's just poured out in service to the people.

And so it's a gracious understanding. And so God is sovereign and nothing comes to pass except God has permitted it, right? Except the Lord has permitted it and called it forth to come to pass. That's why things happen. That's why things are given or things are withheld because God has determined and purposed it. to be so, but you can be sure it's not only for your good, it's for the good of your brethren, each and every time.

Paul said in Romans 8, 26 through 28, likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. A lot of times, those groanings are put when we are brought low in ourselves through some difficulty, through some trial. It's brought upon us for good.

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

And so these scriptures and these experiences, they put us in a bond of fellowship with Christ, who suffered for us, and a bond of fellowship with one another, with the body of Christ. They encourage us to continue in the faith. They encourage us and teach us to be mindful of our brethren, that if I'm going through these things, so are my brethren in the world. They're also going through various trials, through various sufferings, through various difficulties, being stripped of the vain things of this world, being stripped of the vanity of this flesh, bringing us to see our need of the Lord Jesus Christ. He works this out in us, and we wouldn't get it just from textbook learning, but he gives it to us experientially so that we are stripped of our own strength to fall upon the Lord, to groan and to breathe out these things with the Spirit helping us and enabling us to do that. And so it's to encourage us and to believe on Him. It's precious here. Many times in the world, people get upset with someone in the church or upset with something about it. Don't let those things knock you out from ministering and being part of the body. They're going to come.

And sometimes it's from ourselves, right? And people bear with you, so bear with one another, love one another, continuing in that truth and that hope with one another, because it's for our good. And we do so in in coming and attending and being with the body. Now, like what Paul wrote in Hebrews 12, verses one through three, he said, wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.

And that, I don't believe, is just talking about those that have gone before. That's talking about present day believers, all right, who continue to minister to the body, even in the weakness of this flesh. even in the midst of difficulties and sicknesses and losses and struggles and sufferings. It's a great cloud of witnesses.

He says, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. And so as the Lord strengthens and encourages you, go forth in that same strength and encouragement, serving the Lord in it.

And because honestly, whether you know it or not, it does minister to your brethren. You may not realize it, but just your presence, just your time, just your thoughts, your energy, your words of kindness and encouragement, ministers sweetly to your brethren. It's a great help and a comfort to them. It's a consolation to them.

And then finally, verse 7, our hope of you, Paul says, is steadfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. And so that there speaks to the testimony of God in you, which is witnessed in faith. The faith you have is not of the flesh. That faith which is in Christ is the gift of God. It's the witness of the Spirit that God loves you. You wouldn't believe Christ and you wouldn't continue in Christ except God loved you, gave you his spirit, sent his son to shed his blood for your sins, to put them away, and to give you life in himself. It's the witness of God in you.

Continue in that. Continue in that faith. Believe him. Seek to know him more and more to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. And so God has given it to you as a consolation. And you go and encourage your brethren. encourage one another in that very thing. I pray the Lord bless that word to our hearts.

Able To Comfort

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about comfort for believers?

How do we know God's grace is true?

Why is understanding sin important for Christians?

Why do Christians experience suffering?

Sermon Transcript

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Able To Comfort

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about comfort for believers?

How do we know God's grace is true?

Why is understanding sin important for Christians?

Why do Christians experience suffering?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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