“The God of all Comfort”

2 Corinthians 1:1-11 & Introduction

Background information:

2 Corinthians was written around AD 56 and its believed to be written about two years after the first letter.

The audience was the Corinthians, but the letter was also to be passed around to other churches

In Second Corinthians Paul bares his heart and his life like no other letter. This letter has the least amount of doctrine of all of Paul’s letters.

Pauls authority was being undermine, people were spreading lies against him

Five purposes:

To console and encourage the majority in the church,

To restore the disciplined member of the church

To complete the collection for the saints in Jerusalem

To vindicate Paul's apostleship in view of criticisms

To prepare for Paul's third visit to Corinth

1. (V1) An apostle by the will of God

Paul's use of the term "apostle" (lit. one sent forth with orders)

He claimed apostolic authority

One of the purposes for this letter was to assert or defend his authority

Paul’s opponents were undermining his work, claiming that his suffering (11:24–29) proved he was not a true apostle.

We may not always agree with the leadership, but God has placed them in authority

My kids don’t always agree with their bedtime or a restriction of a junk food

(God places people in position of authority)

Romans 13:1 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

2. (V3) The Father of mercies and the God of all comfort

a) Paul understands the mercies of God

Paul, formerly known as Saul, was a Christian killer before Christ appeared to him in Acts chapter 9

b) Paul also understands the God of all comfort

Paul faced a lot of suffering, he was beaten, put in prison, he went without food and sleep, yet Paul was comforted by the God of all comfort

The words all comfort in this passage come from the ancient Greek word paraklesis.

The idea behind this word for comfort in the New Testament is always more than soothing sympathy. It has the idea of strengthening, of helping, of making strong. The idea behind this word is communicated by the Latin word for comfort (fortis), which also means “brave.”

I am reminded of the Psalm, when often King David was in trouble he cried out to the God of all comfort

Despite his enemies surrounding him, he found rest in the God of all comfort

Now we have the Psalms that David wrote in his time of need, which now’s comforts us

Where do you go for comfort? In society today, people go to many different places for comfort. Maybe some go to a substance, like alcohol, they want to numb themselves.

Do you go to God seeking comfort and strengthening or do you else where?

3. (V4) He comforts us in our affliction, that we may be able to comfort others

What is affliction? (Suffering in many ways such as; persecution, sickness, and depression

Job suffered loss in family, loss of friends, severe boils on his body, he was mentally distressed)

2 Corinthians 4:8–10 ESV

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

If you are walking closely with the Lord you will suffer

When we first moved to Sonora to take this job, I was getting hit with one thing after another and I looked at it as spiritual warfare to stop me.

a) Christ will comfort us in our time of need

2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”

Hebrews 2:18 “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

b) The comfort of Christ helps us to comfort others in their time of need

Going through a trial, gives us understanding for others who go through something similar

Greg Lauri lost a son to a car accident, but because of that tragedy now he can help others who have a young child

Because of my rough childhood I can relate to others who have had to deal with similar situations

4. (V8) Burdened beyond our strength

a) God allows difficult circumstances to teach us how to rely upon Him, He teaches us obedience through trials

The trials bring us to the end of ourselves

Hebrews 5:8 “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.”

5. (V9) Paul’s wisdom, trials help us rely on God, not ourselves

We get to a point when we can no longer do it on our own