Consolation In Christ

Consolation – Relief or Support. As nouns the difference between consolation and comfort is that consolation is the act of consoling while comfort is the state of ease.

Bless Him because He is God! You find this phrase “blessed be God” in two other places in the New Testament, in Ephesians 1:3 and 1 Peter 1:3. In Ephesians 1:3 Paul praised God for what He did in the past, when He “chose us in [Christ]”. In 1 Peter 1:3 Peter praised God for future blessings and “a living hope” (NASB). But in 2 Corinthians Paul praised God for present blessings, for how God was comforting right now.

We learned in Hour of Power that during the horrors of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), Pastor Martin Rinkart faithfully served the people in Eilenburg, Saxony (Germany). History tells us that he conducted as many as 40 funerals a day, a total of over 4,000 during his ministry. Yet out of this devastating experience, he wrote a “table grace” for his children which today we use as a hymn of thanksgiving: Now thank we all our God, With heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things hath done, In whom His world rejoices!

1. The Comfort v3 “the God of all comfort, who comforts us”

NT:3870 ?parakale/w ?parakaleo (par-ak-al-eh'-o); from NT:3844 and NT:2564; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke KJV - beseech, call for, comfort, desire, exhort, intreat, pray. When you find yourself discouraged because of difficult circumstances, it is easy to look at yourself and your feelings, or to focus on the problems around you. But the first step we must take is to look by faith to the Lord and realize all that God is to us. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:1–2).

We must never think that trouble is an accident. For the believer, everything is a divine appointment. There are only three possible outlooks a person can take when it comes to the trials of life. If our trials are the products of “fate” or “chance,” then our only recourse is to give up. Nobody can control fate or chance. If we have to control everything ourselves, then the situation is equally as hopeless. But if God is in control, and we trust Him, then we can overcome circumstances with His help.

God encourages us in all our tribulations by teaching us from His Word that it is He who permits trials to come. James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 1 Peter 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. Who do we turn to in the middle of our struggle?

Friends, Family, Food, Facts or Faith?

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

2. The Consolation v6 “if we are afflicted it is for your consolation”

Consolation and Salvation is not only for us but also for them!

NT:3874 para/klhsi$ ?paraklesis (par-ak'-lay-sis); from NT:3870; imploration, hortation, solace: KJV - consolation, exhortation, intreaty. Paul’s point is that our own sufferings enable us to identify with those who suffer—and enable them to identify with us. Then they will sense the reality of the comfort we have received from God and find their own comfort in Him. The principle is important. Ministry requires vulnerability. Our human frailties, which make us susceptible to suffering, at the same time enable us to display God’s comforting love. Only when we show our weaknesses can we also reveal the strength of our Lord.

Paul was honest about his suffering! Verses 8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us!

3. The Confidence v7 “because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation”

2 Timothy 2:11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we suffer with Him, We shall also reign with Him…