Great Comfort

Q: What does the Bible say about comfort in affliction?

The Bible teaches that God's word provides comfort in times of affliction, as expressed in Psalm 119:50, which states, 'This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has quickened me.' The Bible illustrates that true comfort during affliction comes from the word of God. In Psalm 119:50, the psalmist acknowledges that God's word brings life and reassurance in times of trouble. This theme is echoed throughout Scripture, emphasizing that reliance on God's promises provides hope and strength amidst trials. The faithful find solace in knowing that God's judgments and precepts serve as reminders of His unfailing love and mercy, offering comfort that transcends worldly understanding.

Q: How do we know God's promises are true?

We know God's promises are true because they are rooted in His character and confirmed by faith, as seen in Romans 4:21. God's promises are guaranteed by His unwavering character and faithfulness. Romans 4:21 states that Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was also able to perform. This assurance is not based on human reasoning but on the truth of who God is. Moreover, Scripture consistently reveals that God's word is reliable; when He declares a promise, it is fulfilled according to His divine purpose. Understanding the nature of God's promises strengthens our faith and gives us comfort, particularly in times of uncertainty.

Q: Why is the word of God important for Christians?

The word of God is vital for Christians as it offers guidance, wisdom, and encouragement for daily living and spiritual growth. For Christians, the word of God serves as the primary source of spiritual nourishment and guidance. As noted in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, correction, and instruction in righteousness. This underscores the necessity of engaging with Scripture for a believer's growth and understanding of God's will. Additionally, the word brings comfort and assurance during trials, as it reveals God's character and His promises to His people. Thus, the word not only instructs but also establishes a deep relationship with God, assuring believers of His ongoing presence and support in their lives.

Q: How can Christians find peace in God?

Christians find peace in God through faith in Jesus Christ and understanding His promises, as stated in Philippians 4:7. Peace for Christians is found through faith in Jesus Christ, who embodies the source of our reconciliation with God. Philippians 4:7 teaches us that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This peace is not contingent upon external circumstances but is rooted in the assurance of God's promises and His steadfast love. By grounding ourselves in Scripture and trusting in His sovereignty, we can experience true peace amidst the chaos of life. It is this internal peace that empowers believers to face challenges with confidence, knowing that God is in control.

One more time, turn with me to Psalm 119. Let's read those eight verses, starting with verse 49. It says, remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me. The proud have had me greatly in derision, yet have I not declined from thy law. I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself. Verse 53, horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night and have kept thy law. This I had because I kept thy precepts.

And we're gonna look at a few places and verses this morning that deal with the great comfort from God's word, great comfort, and that's what we'll call this this morning. And we're going to particularly look at verses 50 and 52. It says, verse 50, this is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me. And verse 52 says, I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord, and had comforted myself.

The, what he speaks about in through here is the, is what the word does by the spirit does to his people and does for his people. It brings to mind and brings to remembrance as verse 49 says, remember thy word. But God doesn't need to remember his word, but it brings his word to remembrance to us of what is in his word, not just things to recite, but the principles, the precepts, the truths that God says about the gospel in particular, the gospel of the Lord in particular, wherever we be in the scriptures. And David, as all of God's people, the church in Christ Jesus, the saints, the sons of God, received great comfort from the word of God.

And that's where we indeed turn to. We can comfort each other in various times, admonish each other, build each other up, those things, but it primarily comes down to what the word has to say. I'd like to read several places we're gonna look today, but turn to the book of 1 Timothy, if you would. 1 Timothy chapter one. First Timothy chapter one, I'd like to read starting with verse seven. It says, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor wherever they affirm, but we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully.

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for man-stealers, liars, perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that's contrary to sound doctrine.

According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust, I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all expectation. acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

And I think David and all God's people approach issues that way, that who we are and remembering where we came from, what pit we were dug from, and by his grace we are what we are, and that we have any knowledge or any awareness or anything of God or His things by His Spirit only, that what we are like and what we have done and what we have to keep in mind. And then in 2 Timothy chapter one, and in the same section, starting with verse seven through 14 in chapter one of 2 Timothy, it says, and keeping the other in mind of what is said there about who we are and where we come from and who we look to, it says, for God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God, who hath saved us and called us within holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which we've given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to life through the gospel. whereof I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles, for the which cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I believe, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

And here, Paul speaking to Timothy, not only remember where we came from and what we're made of and who has lifted us up, but here it's that has saved us with a holy calling, according to his own purpose, which would given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, And then down here in verse 12 where it says, for the which cause I suffer these things. Nevertheless, I'm not ashamed for I know whom I believed and I'm persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed against him unto that day.

If we don't have that That thought and that knowledge, if we can't say that, then the scriptures and the other words there in Psalm 119 and others, they can't be a comfort to God's people if we don't know where we stand or who we stand in or how we got to where we are. People claim the promises of God, but if they don't understand who it's speaking of or how it applies, it's just words. They can say they stand in the promises of God, but if they don't know him and don't know who he is, they can't say that. They don't understand the promises or what the word says. And we were discussing that a little bit earlier today, that we may know the words of the scriptures, but if he doesn't reveal it to us, we can't claim that and claim those as our own.

Turn to Ephesians, the second chapter, and these aren't new passages, but I think that in light of the great comfort from the word are what the word says, and not just the audible or physical words of them, but what they stand for, what they're talking about, what they are, not just a nebulous, thought or idea, but Ephesians chapter two, and I had to pare down some of the reading because I could read quite a bit of it, but I would like to read the first six verses of chapter two says, and you hath he quickened who are dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the power the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and whereby nature, the children of wrath, even as others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love for us, he loved us even when we were dead in sins, had he quickened us together with Christ, by grace are you saved, and has raised us up together and made us to sit in heaven, sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

And then verse 13 says, but now in Christ Jesus, you who are sometimes we're far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. And then two more verses in here while we're here, verses 17 and 18. three more verses, 17 and following, it says, and came and preached peace to you which were afar off unto them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.

And again here in chapter two, it says that we, where we come from by nature, what we are by nature, and then it said, he hath quickened us together, but God which is rich in mercy hath done this. And the, the, comfort from this is that he has done it and it's not a working of our own. And that was the issue that we have from the very beginning in scriptures. But in the New Testament, those that were preaching the gospel, where Rob was with the Pharisees, And with Gentiles and all people was that system that the Pharisees were under, Paul knew that very well.

He was in it. He had all the credentials for that, but the gospel exposes that as a false religion, as a false, no righteousness in that, no deliverance in that. and no way to reach God. There's no peace with God in those things. And Paul says, I did all those things, but there's nothing in them. There's nothing in them.

There's, you know, we like to have good neighbors. We like to have people respect our stuff and not steal or whatever, those things. But the law that they had wasn't to salvation. It was to reveal the problem. Those, I know I'm getting down a path a little bit, but I was also looking back at something about the Ark of the Covenant. Those things in there were not, high points in their travels. All three of those things in there were four, two tables, that were showing their rebellion, showed what they were not able to do. inside of the contents of that was not good. It was only what that showed on the outside of that, the blood that was there, that was any good thing.

In Romans chapter four, Again, I had to pare down a little bit here. Chapter four of Romans, verse 16 to start with. Verse 16 says, therefore it is of faith that it might be grace to the end, the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to also that which is of faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. And then down to, and read this on your own, but down here, start again with verse 21, chapter four of Romans, verse 21.

It says, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was also able to perform. Speaking of Abraham. Therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. by whom we also have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope, in hope of the glory of God.

But here, it's not as Abraham was, it says up here, in verse 21, it says, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able to perform. So that was, And that was being fully persuaded was as we've seen before by God's grace that he reveals these things to us. It wasn't just that it sounded like a good deal to him. He was fully persuaded of it.

It says, and that is by God's doing that we can be persuaded that what the word says is what the word means and what it can do for his people. It's only a comfort if we have confidence in what the word says. If we have no confidence in it, there's not much comfort in that, in the scriptures.

Turn one more time back to the book of 2 Timothy. A couple of thoughts along this line in 2 Timothy chapter three. 2 Timothy chapter three, starting with verse 14. And this is, again, Paul speaking to the people that things aren't good in the natural man. And where Timothy is, natural man is just not a good thing. And he's in that midst.

It says in verse 14, but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which were able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. all scriptures given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." And here, It says, verse 14, continue thou in things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that is, as it goes on, speaks that being wise and through faith, which is in Christ Jesus, but assured of knowing who has taught them.

And the Lord told Peter that, that flesh and blood didn't teach you this, when he said, who do you say I am? And the same thought here, that to Timothy that if you believe these things and understand these things that the scripture's saying and they are yours and you know who you've believed in and are persuaded he's able to do these things, then you know who you've learned them from and it wasn't from hard study or wisdom of man.

And Paul said that too. We came to you not with man's wisdom but with the scripture and the power of God and that's the, That's the... That's the comfort that we can have from that we get in consolation from the scriptures is understanding and who that's speaking of and that it's not just words. Nice things to say, if you do this, you'll come to happy times. But we know that, as it says, that if we know who we've committed these things to, It can be a great comfort and is a great comfort to God's people. In the book of 1 Peter. In the book of 1 Peter. 1 Peter chapter one. And it says, start in the first verse, first few verses here of 1 Peter.

It says, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved for you in heaven, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. But up here particularly, up here particularly in verse three, that by God's foreknowledge and His working that where we stand in grace by the blood of Christ, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. A lively hope that the true comfort, the true hope that we have in the scripture. There can only be this if he's been, as it says here, he hath begotten us to a lively hope. That's by his doing and not by just our persuasion or man's wisdom or that type of thing, but that lively hope has to be given to us by God Almighty.

And that's why the scriptures there that David's saying, he remembers those things. He remembers those judgments of God, those things that God says, here's how you stand and how you are justified and righteous before God. And as he says those things, he reminded that what the scripture speaks of and not just not just platitudes, but it speaks on the promises are based on what God has done for his people and reminds us of those things.

Next to the last book here, in the book of Jude, and we read this, we read this many times in studies and over time, but in the book of Jude, Okay. Book of Jude deals with some tough times and tough things in the church and in and about us, but last two verses here. of Jude, it says, now to him that's able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and power both now and ever. So up here, present you fathers with exceeding joy, it says, and the comfort and joy and building up that the scripture is to his people. It's a true comfort as David says.

And some of the words of God to us believers that remind us as to what God has promised us in Christ Jesus, All of God's word is a revelation of who he is and the one with whom we live and move and have our being. All of the scriptures, it's revelation. The book of Revelation there, as we're in it for some time, Brother Norm went through that, a pastor went through that. as the word there refers to taking the lid off of something, exposing something to view and putting it to view. And all that has to be done by God in the only way that the scripture or those words or those promises can be a comfort is if God reveals them to us.

And he reveals them to us in himself. It's these words that, comfort and ensure his people, and a real assurance. In the book of Isaiah, in the book of Isaiah. Okay. A couple of spots. In the book of Isaiah chapter 40, Okay, let me make sure I have the right spot here. I do. Two spots. First one is verses one and two of chapter 40. It says, my people saith your God, speak comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received in the Lord's hand double for our sin. And then towards the end of chapter 40, starting with verses 28, it says, verse 28 says, hast thou not known, hast thou not heard that the everlasting God The Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary.

There is no searching of his understanding. the limits of it. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increases strength. Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. Verse 31, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.

And that is the speaking comfortably to God's people that it says there. And then in chapter 61 of Isaiah, chapter 61 of Isaiah, chapter 61, the first three verses say, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek. He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn, to appoint unto them that morning's Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. And here, good tidings it says here, that he might be, the Lord might be glorified, the end of verse three.

And a couple of spots, and I don't even, okay, in the book of Proverbs, Excuse me. Book of Proverbs chapter three. There's a lot of, in the book of Proverbs, a lot of about wisdom and instruction and things to do, not to do, how to live, and not to live, and instruction, but the wisdom it speaks of in here is a personification. There's a person that this wisdom, all these things ascribe and to describe, and that's the Lord himself is that true wisdom.

But in chapter three, in chapter three, starting with verse 21, Okay, it says, speaking about God's word and his knowledge that only he can impart and his wisdom that only he can impart, it says in verse 21, it says, my son, let not them depart from thine eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion.

So shall they be life unto thy soul and grace to thy neck. When thou shalt walk in, then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid. Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. In that confidence, or that consolation, that comfort, another word comfort there that is to God's people.

There's a verse, let me see if I can, oh yes. And that speaks about not just keeping the not just keeping those thoughts and things, but God's word in front of us. And whether it be read or spoken or however it gotten into us and exposed to us, only he still has to do the work to reveal that.

And in 2 Corinthians, In chapter 1, 2 Corinthians chapter 1, in verses 3 and 4 say, blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comfort us all in Comfort us in all 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 verse five says, for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And as it says here, the Lord himself comforts his people and settles his people and makes the scripture a living scripture to us. And it says that we may be able to comfort them which are in trouble by the comfort which we ourselves are comfort of God. And that is by what the scripture have to say that we've seen how God has a people and has always had a people, and he's about the business of delivering them and keeping them. And as we saw in Jude, he's able to, he's the only one that's able to do that, to the end of that.

And then turn back to 1 Corinthians, just, 1 Corinthians in chapter two, First Corinthians chapter two in verse 12. It says, now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. And as it says here, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. If we don't know the things that are freely given to us, not much comfort. If we don't understand and have been shown those things, but he has indeed delivered us and has revealed those things to us.

And that word in the Greek, in second Corinthians, that word, let me get back there again. In the first chapter, I thought about that. And that word, who comforted us in all tribulation, and then the word by there, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, there's a couple of different words, but the comforted of God, and I know no Greek, and I can hardly pronounce it in English, paraklesis, and that means to call alongside for help, strengthening, counseling, and bold assurance. And it says here that that is comforted of God, that we're comforted of God.

So the strong comfort and consolation to God's people always to be found in the word. All his judgments are right and sure to us only because he shows them to be that way. We can look to no other source for assurance of what we have been given in him except by the word, not by any thoughts or commentaries or writings on it. They're helpful and they're, I'm glad there's people that know Greek and Hebrew and other things, but that's not the revelation of the word to his people and only God can do that. But he causes us to, by his word and what it shows us that we have in Christ Jesus, that we can be comforted. And the times that we, look to his word, not only just comfort, but built up and just, as it says in 2 John and others, that by the joy that he gives his people, joy may be full by understanding what we have in him. And for today, thank you.

Great Comfort

What does the Bible say about comfort in affliction?

How do we know God's promises are true?

Why is the word of God important for Christians?

How can Christians find peace in God?

Sermon Transcript

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Great Comfort

What does the Bible say about comfort in affliction?

How do we know God's promises are true?

Why is the word of God important for Christians?

How can Christians find peace in God?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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