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.”
So when you are going through hard times, don’t pull away from God, draw near to Him.
Remember who He is- He is God!
(3) “ Praise be to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”
Jesus offers us companionship
“I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
He will be the one that will be with you in good times and bad times
When the water is rough and when the water is calm.
Remember those times when all that you had was Jesus and it was enough!
That seen you through- the times that He carried you.
Jesus offers us compassion-
He understands pain- he experienced pain. He knows the loss of a loved one, he knows emptiness, abandonment.
Jesus has wept for a nation that was hurting!
Christ offers us comfort
He loves us with a love that cannot die.
The presence of Christ in our lives gives us peace.
The Greek word for comfort means “to come alongside and help”
Illustration-
Aren’t you glad Jesus wasn’t like a rubbernecker that comes up to an accident. They want to see what happen, how bad is the car damaged, maybe some who want to see someone hurt. Aren’t you glad that He not only sees us, but also wants to do something about it!
To come alongside and help- that gives us hope and strength.
Comfort does not always remove our difficulty or our suffering, but it does give us strength, encouragement and hope to deal with it.
Comfort and hope shines when it is dark.
Comfort and hope motivates us when we are discouraged.
Comfort and hope lets us sing when the song is gone.
Where there is hope, you will find the comfort of God reaching out to you.
There it is-
The Father of compassion, the God of Comfort, comforts us when we are in need, now, what are you going to do with the rest of the verse?
“So that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
Thomas Browne
By compassion, we make others misery our own.”
Spurgeon
A good character is the best tombstone. Those who love you and were helped by you will remember you when the forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.”
Hurting people hurt people and hurting people need our help.
How can we help hurting people?
Let them experience the comfort and compassion of God through us.
Illustration-
An evangelist was riding on a plane filled with people, cigarette smoke filled the air (not today) the evangelist knew that he would have to take a bath and send his clothes to a cleaner. He felt like he had been char-broiled. Suddenly he turned to the women and said. “Would you like to chew my gum awhile? The lady was insulted. What do you mean? I’ve been smoking your second hand smoke and thought that you might want my second hand gum.”
People can be insensitive, do selfish things. But the most insensitive thing a believer can do is nothing when we see someone hurting.
Listen,
Jesus is the example of compassion, sympathy. We need to follow His lead.
Most people will respond- “I don’t know what to say or do”
Respond like Jesus- offer yourself.
You know that at a funeral many say “if you need anything, please call me.” But how many take it upon themselves to call and see if they need anything?
Christ offers himself to us- we need to offer ourselves to others.
I’m closing,
What God wants to say has been said.
When Jesus saw the crowds. He had compassion for them.
When the Samaritan saw the man bleeding and in need, he had compassion for him.
When Jesus saw you and me hurting- he has compassion for us.
I don’t know where you are at this morning,
If you are hurting and feeling abandoned- draw close to the Lord this morning and know that He loves you and wants to embrace your situation.
Almost 20 years ago, I preached a message “who is your neighbor.” Who should I love? Who should I have compassion for?
The parable of the Good Samaritan gives us the answer-
(1) I don’t care- that was the response of the man who crossed the street and never looked back.
(2) I don’t care enough to do something- that man crossed the road saw the bleeding man and then choose to walk away.
(3) I care enough to do something- that man did not cross the street, but saw and did something about him.
He invested in him time and energy.
God doesn’t expect you to give something that you do not have. Only what you have!
Suppose you just tell him- “stay warm and eat well” but you never give him clothing or food. What good is it? God says do the right thing!
Amen.
