Sermon Tone Analysis

Comfort or Luxury?

What do you think of when I say comfort?

Beds?

Couches?

Comfy jeans?

Levi's (I remember that old commercial for Levi's Jeans where the guy put his jeans through all this rough stuff so his significant other would think a new pair was his comfy pair because apparently she always stole his pants they were that comfy)

But God has an interesting definition of Comfort.

Comfort for him is when His children are crying and he comforts us.

He bends down and picks us up.

How does he do that?

What does it look like?

These concepts are so important for us to grasp because the God of Christianity is one who is all powerful.

So, how do we balance God's providence with the pain's of this world?

Sin?

Well, that explains part but then why do I suffer?

I mean I'm a Christian a child of God, why does that pain follow me?

Let's Pray.

You don't have to give praise when none is deserved.

I know this is counter cultural.

It is definitely counter generational for me.

I was taught that the best way to lead was to always find something to praise.

Then jump from the praise into the opportunity to grow.

Paul usually praises the Church that he is writing to.

Paul doesn't do that here.

because they weren't deserving of his personal praise.

In most cases Paul does offer praise.

God comforts us in the midst of pain, He doesn't usually prevent it.

We don't like this structure but there are several reasons for this:

We would ignore his blessings if everything was good.

We better feel his blessings when compared to suffering.

We, as the Body of Christ, are part of His active comforting.

Paul, wants to share with them how bad it got for his ministry team.

We shouldn't try and hide our hardships.

It's tempting.

And it doesn't mean like as the Pastor that I air out all my dirty laundry in front of the Church.

Which for the record, I do have dirty laundry, actually literally I really need to get that stuff done.

But figuratively as well, I'm not perfect, Paul doesn't claim to be perfect.

We are all imperfect and no pastor from Paul's time to today, and the future will be perfect except Jesus our Main Pastor.

The Christian should expect short comings from other people.

Especially other Christians.

Now this is not primarily talking about sin/growth issues but rather persecution that is suffering.

Paul is equipped to help them through suffering because of his own experiences.

They can strengthen him and comfort him.

Two questions:

1. Did Paul comfort them?

2. Have they made any move to comfort Paul or anyone else?

Paul did everything he could to comfort them, treat them with kindness, and prepare them for the future.

He was a fantastic spiritual dad.

So to answer the question:

Yes, Paul had been comforting towards the Christians at Corinth.

Paul is being criticized for not having visited them already.

Paul gives no tolerance for such an attitude.

Here he is doing ministry and all they can do is gripe about his methodology.

Who said the church is going through a new time?

There is nothing new.

Paul made plans but he always viewed Jesus as the final authority on His plans.

"Lord willing"

It's not a stamp of approval to one's plans.

It doesn't guarantee them but rather brings to mind that Jesus has final say.

You don't have to say it but God tells us to live it.

Have they made any move to comfort Paul or anyone else?

And the answer is no.

We clearly see the opposite.

They should be concerned about Paul and his well being but instead they are whining that he didn't show up on time.

His delay was actually a blessing to them.

Sometimes people need to be given time to repent.

We as people want to force people but Paul sees that as being detrimental to them.

But he also recognizes that if he had visited sooner then it would have been another reprimand.

The expectation of holiness was firmly set, teaching was repeatedly offered to teach them how to reconcile but instead it seems that they are still being an "anguish to his heart"

3 Reasons the church at Corinth was an anguist to Paul's heart:

They were criticizing Paul.

They were not forgiving.

They were not giving.

The Christian who criticizes, refuses to forgive, and doesn't give is not hurting other Christians but is crippling himself.

If someone repents no matter how heinous the crime, he must be forgiven and reconciled.

Restitution means that in some cases things can be forgiven but will require a process and time to heal and bring about a relationship that has been renewed practically as well as positionally.

Don't change the message

The message never changes, style may, preacher/teachers will, but the message of the Gospel will never change.

The Corinthians needed to ask themselves:

Is the Gospel still central to our lifestyle?

Points of Worship

Jesus is the center piece of all time and space.

Reconciliation matters to God.

Jesus is providentially in control.