Intro:
1. Since Paul’s first letter, to the Corinthian church, he has been attacked and ridiculed by false teachers. One thing for sure, you can’t have daily victory without experiencing a daily intake of stupidity from those who wouldn’t know God, if they met Him in a corn field!
They accused Paul of being inconsistent, proud, more then a little weak around the gills in appearance and unqualified to be called an apostle of Jesus Christ. So Paul sent Titus to Corinth to deal with the difficulties and now he has returned with the good news that they were getting every thing straightened out.
2. We are just looking at the introduction to the book of Second Corinthians.
3. The Advantage of Suffering.
Trans: 2 Cor. 1:1-7
I. FIRST, THE APOSTLE PAUL.
Paul an apostle – an apostle was a special gift given to the Twelve and Paul in the First Century. There are no more apostle in that sense today, our authority is not some apostle but the written Word of God. What they did was foundational (Eph. 2:20) and you only lay the foundation once.
“Apostle, or sent ones, official representatives, messengers.” Jesus chose the twelve and gave them this name (Lu. 6:13). They and Paul were personally sent by Christ to the world as eyewitnesses of Christ (Ac. 1:21-22), with miraculous powers (Ac.2:43; 8:18/2 Cor. 12:12/Heb.2:4).
Other than the Twelve and Paul, this word is used of Jesus (Heb.3:1); James (Gal.1:19); Barnabas and Saul, sent by the Holy Spirit (Ac.14:14); of “missionary, delegates, representatives” sent by the churches in 2 Cor. 8:23); etc.
It is used four times of “false apostles” who claim this authority. We can say the word is used in a Specialized sense for the Twelve and Paul; and in a Generalized sense for those who were [and are today] missionaries, church planters. The word is used some 80 times in the N.T.”
II. NEXT, PAUL’S ASSOCIATE TIMOTHY.
Timothy at the time of this writing is with Paul, he had been sent to Macedonia and Corinth (Ac.19:22/1 Cor.4:17), and had written to the Corinthians about him (I Cor. 16: 10-11). He is not mentioned again in this book. Therefore we can look at Timothy in detail in other studies.
III.THIRD, THE ACHAIA SAINTS. [Southern Greece]
A. The Holy.
Saints – there are only two kinds of people in this world – saints and aints! If we are going to have daily victory we must first be a saint. Every believer in Jesus Christ is a saint! If you read I Corinthians you will find a group of believers that were experiencing daily defeat…but Paul still calls them saints.
A Saint is one who has been set apart from sin unto God positionally. When we were born the first time, we were born in Adam which meant separated from God unto sin; but when we are born-again, we are placed in Christ, thus separated from sin and unto God! That is the basis for all daily victory – it should be called Daily Jesus!
B. The Howdy.
Grace and peace – this is a typical greeting. Grace is a typical Gentile or Greek greeting; while Peace, is a typical Jewish or Hebrew greeting.
Of course for the believer it means much much more – Grace: Gods Riches At Christ’s Expense, is God releasing all His blessings through the merit of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. It is unmerited by us, but merited by Him.
The result is always peace – tranquility and calmness of mind.
IV. FOURTHLY, THE AUTHOR OF ALL COMFORT.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ – Jesus Christ Himself is God, but as the incarnate Son He was dependent upon God the Father, thus appropriately worded.
Father of mercies…God of all comfort – mercy is for the miserable! If you live long enough your gonna have the miseries – but you can also have the mercies of God. Those mercies give us comfort in our misery.
We find a beautiful picture of this in 2 Sam. 24:10-14, David’s choice reveals his understanding that God is far more merciful than man.
Chuck Swindoll, “Wise choice. If you want grace, fall into the hands of God; if you want judgment, fall into the hands of fellow human beings.” Neh. 9:29-31/Dan.9:8-9
Dr. Lee Scarbrough’s small son asked him, “Daddy do you really believe that a fish could swallow a man and keep the man alive inside for 3 days and 3 nights?”
He said, “Son, if God could make a man out of nothing to begin with, and if God could create the first sea creature from absolutely nothing, don’t you think He would have the power to make a fish, that could swallow a man and keep him alive for 3 days and nights!” The little fellow said, “Well, if you’re going to bring God into it, that’s different!”
What a difference bring God into it always makes! You might be miserable this very day; Your sins might be as high as the sky; You may have been branded a hopeless case;
Just bring God into it, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and watch the flood of mercy wash away your fears and give you comfort within…
V. FITHLY, THE ADVANTAGES OF SUFFERING.
Read 2 Corinthians 1:4-6…
A. First, a Perspective.
1. Expectation – we will suffer!
Sufferings of Christ – Jesus suffered and because we are identified with Him we will suffer also (Jn. 15:18-20; 16:2-3,33/ Phil. 3:10/I Pet.4:13). I wouldn’t give you a wooden nickel for a daily victory that cannot walk through a storm!
Why?
a. Look Upward – you will see the Holy, sinless Lord Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God the Father. We are in the process of being conformed to His image and that process takes suffering. Rom. 8:28-29/ Rom. 5:3-4
b. Look Downward – remember according to the book of Ephesians we are now seated in the heavenlies, in Christ. Looking down we see Satan and his host of demons who seek our harm. Eph. 6:12/ I Pet. 5:8
c. Look Outward – this is a sick, sinful, Christ hating world we are living in. Jn. 15:18-19
d. Look Inward – you will find a corrupt, sinful nature that constantly brings grief to the renewed mind. Rom. 7:25
Spurgeon, “A Roman once said he wished he had a window to his heart, that all people might see what was going on there. I am very glad I have not; if I had, I would shut it up…I would take care to have all the shutters up. Yea, most of us would have great need of shutters if such a window existed.”
2. Experience – suffering brings divine comfort! The principle is clear: the more
you suffer the more you will be comforted. The two always walk hand in hand!
3. Explanation – why would suffering bring comfort?
a. Suffering makes Room for comfort – if you plant a tree, you must first dig a hole, you must remove the dirt. Suffering removes things – health; wealth; loved ones; etc. Such a removal leaves an empty place – a place where comfort can find a home.
One wrote, “Great hearts can only be made by great troubles. The spade of trouble digs the reservoir of comfort deeper, and makes more room for consolation.
b. Suffering also makes us Realize our need for God.
When life is full of material abundance it is easy to forget God; when the wallet is overflowing it is easy to bury our need for God in the flood of things; But when prosperity is low, watch how easily the prayer life become high; take away the stuff and the Spirit of God begins to make Jesus real.
B. The Passage. [Two basic points found in vv. 4-6]
1. First, suffering that brings comfort means Delivery.
a. Comfort means the Deliverance FROM our troubles. 2 Cor. 1:10
Paul was under going many life threatening situations, of which God delivered him out of by sparing his life (Ac. 9:23-25; 14:19-20; etc.)
b. Furthermore, comfort means Deliverance IN our troubles.
2 Cor. 12:7-10
Our suffering always brings deliverance, either from or in our troubles.
By the way the word “comfort” is a very broad word meaning “to be by the side of another, to relieve and support; to give solace, consolation and encouragement. It carries the idea of strength, enablement, and confidence.”
Always remember this: What cannot be cured can be endured!
The bottom line is we will always be delivered for daily victory, if not from our problem, then through them…
John Bunyan who is known for his Pilgrims Progress, was arrested in 1672 for preaching without a license. He was imprisoned for 12 years. He wrote:
“I never had in all my life so great an inlet into the Word of God as now in prison. Jesus Christ also was never more real and apparent than now…I never knew before what it was for God to stand by me at all times…I have often said, were it lawful I could pray for greater trouble, for greater comfort sake.”
Maybe you’re in prison right now? So is Jesus Christ, right there with you!
VI. FINALLY, THE ASSURANCE.
Notice even though he is writing to a carnal church, Paul still has an unwavering confidence in them…Why? Because of the promise of God! Phil. 1:6 It is assurance based on God’s power, not ours! And not for all – only those who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, for their sin.
Con:
1. No one likes troubles, but the truth is troubles are part of life, but so is the advantages of them, for the believer.
2. We need to back off and let God do His work…
3. When my son Jeremy was just a little boy, he fell on a coffee cup, and we had to rush him to the emergency room. The doctor had to push and pull on his little head and all the while he was saying, “Daddy stop it, stop it…”
To tell you the truth it seemed like a good idea, the doctor was causing my son too much pain! And yet I did not stop it. I knew deep down inside that the doctor knew what he was doing and those stitches were part of the healing process.
Remember my friend, God knows what He’s doing, He has a purpose behind ever daily pain we undergo. And that purpose is related to daily victory.
Johnny Palmer Jr.
www.StrugglingThruScriptures.ning.com
www.blogtalkradio.com/StrugglingThruScriptures
