Our God Who Comforts Series

Our God who comforts

2 Corinthians 1:3-1:11

Introduction-

Last week we began a series “Lessons learned from Apostle Paul”

We looked at the unity that is needed in the body of Christ.

We saw that the big picture of the church was not only a building that people meet in and where people come when they are in need.

It is also a group of people in unity accomplishing the things of God in the community.

This morning, we will look at the comfort and compassion of God.

Every one of us loves knowing and believing that God loves and cares for us.

That He is willing to comfort us when we need Him.

This morning, I want us to see in God’s word that while that is absolutely true, we also have a responsibility to each other that we comfort and be there for each other.

2 Corinthians 1:1-1:7

Now, let’s think about that a minute.

Paul is addressing the church at Corinth.

He is saying Praise the Lord we have a heavenly Father that is a God of comfort.

A God who sees us in our distress and willingly wants to comfort us through those times. Praise the Lord!

If you see us suffering, we are suffering for you. If you take comfort in our comfort provided, it is that you receive patience so that you can stand in the same hope we have- the comfort of God.

Then He makes a statement which sometimes we forget in part of the process.

(4) “Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

This comfort flows from God to believers when they suffer for Jesus sake.

This comforts flows from God to believers when they comfort others who are in trouble or who are in need.

Osward Chambers

“If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all, they are meant to make you useful in His hands.”

What better person to comfort divorce than a person who has felt the pain of divorce.

What better person to comfort someone who has cancer than someone who is a survivor of cancer.

When we go through pain- the question God is asked most is why!

Why did this happen?

Why did you allow this?

You may as well ask it- He know your heart.

Why was there an accident?

Why aren’t things different?

Where is God in all of this? Sound familiar? People ask the question why!

The longer I serve God I find that God rarely answers the why questions. He is interested in the how.

How will they respond

How will they behave

How will this change them?

How will this make them stronger?

How will they be wiser?

How can I turn this bad situation in to a good one?

The God of comfort tells us that when we are in trouble that we can come to Him.

He encourages us too.

He desires that we come and respond.

Matthew 11:28-

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

All through the Bible, Isaiah, Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Psalms- God is compassionate. Come to Him.

But what is the thing we do when we have our backs up against the wall, most of the time we are there because we have not listened to God in the past so when we are in trouble we move away from God, we isolate ourselves and then blame God for not responding in the way that we thought He should.

Accidents happen.

Cancer appears

Tornadoes strike

Floods destroy property and life

Death takes loved ones.

It is because we are human, because we live in a world where sin has attempted to take us away from God.

God in the midst of all that says that I will comfort you!

Some things won’t change.

People will die

Sin will destroy in this life….. But I will comfort you.

I know life is hard!

God sees the difficult times

The times of discouragement.

He sees the times that we are overwhelmed.

It happens to us all. Rich or poor, wise or unwise, pain is no respecter of person, it hurts us all! But God wants to comfort you!

If you have not seen it yet, the message is divided into two parts.

(1) Draw you to the comfort and compassion of God

(2) Allow you to see that you have a responsibility to those that are around you.

So let this sink in a minute-

God is a God of comfort- He does that by choice!

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy hearted and I will give you rest.”