The Upside of Suffering

2 Corinthians 1:1–11 NASB95

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort. For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

INTRO: Today we transition from our study in 1 Corinthians on over to 2 Corinthians. I don’t know about you, but I have found this study to be both encouraging and challenging. The response from the Corinthian church was similar, although mixed.

Now, even though this is the second letter we have to the Corinthian church, it is likely not the second letter written to them. Scholars believe that there were 4 original letters written from Paul to the Corinthians and this is the 4th of those. About 1 year separates the books of 1st and 2nd Corinthians, and it seems as though Paul visited them once in this time frame as well.

I mentioned that there was a mixed response to Paul’s first letter. If you remember, that letter was not just a “howdy doody, hope you are well” type letter. Paul rebuked the sin in the church, corrected them in their behavior, and called them out of complacency. It was blunt and even a bit coarse. In fact, the first letter ended with Paul calling once again upon the men of the church to step up to their responsibilities.

1 Corinthians 16:13 NASB95

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

The Christian walk is a battle, men. Young men, look here- God has called you to be intentional, to stand firm, to be strong leaders… we are not called to be complacent sissies! Act like men, or “man up!”

Paul visited the Corinthians and brought more in-depth correction as well. Some in the church responded in bitterness. Their pride prohibited them from seeing the truth and they were all like “Forget you Paul! I don’t need to put up with this… I’ll just go watch Apollos preach on tv- I like the way he talks better anyway”.

For the prideful, Christianity is only good when it is generic in application. But when it’s personal- when your life is examined and specific sins are brought to light, well that’s tough.

But much of the church responded in repentance… they recognized their sin and were ashamed of their behavior. They likely were wondering if Paul was so disgusted with them that he might just write them off. This letter is loaded with hints of that tension - Paul responded to those who were repentant as well as to those who were bitter.

That’s why we cannot just gloss over the greeting in verses 1-2. Let’s read them again. (READ)

Here, Paul does 2 things:

1st, he affirms the Corinthians - “To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints....”

We all could use this reminder- Friends, our identity and salvation rests in Christ’s hands alone! Yes, you messed up, but thanks be to God that our mistakes do not have to define us!

This morning, if you have trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, I want you to look at me and hear this: You belong here! You are part of God’s church! You are a saint according to the Good News of Jesus Christ!

2nd, he reassured them of his love for them and his attitude regarding them. “Grace to you and peace from God...”

Just because they needed correction, just because Paul had to be firm, he nonetheless maintained his affection for them and assured them that God’s love remains.

ILL: Parents, do you discipline your kids? I hope so!! And when you do, I am sure your kids might feel like you don’t like them or love them. But, is that true? Of course not! Kids, we discipline you because we love you!! So every time you get punished or fussed at, you should think, “Man, my parents really love me!!”

Let’s just pause for a minute here. Folks, when you are corrected- when I preach and you are convicted or when I or another comes to you to correct a sin in your life, this might feel unloving because nobody likes to be in the wrong. But friend, it is just the opposite. In fact, if you never feel convicted- if you never receive any correction, it is then that you should wonder how loved you are.

So our introduction to this book is essentially a reminder of our identity in Christ and commitment to one another in Christian love. This is an important backdrop as we consider all the church was going through then and continues to experience today, namely suffering. In our text this morning, Paul uses 5 different Greek words for suffering, which should clue us in on just how prevalent suffering is.

Let me ask a question: How many of you have experienced suffering? Sure you have! Suffering exists because sin exists. And because sin exists in abundance, so does suffering.

Some of our suffering is the result of sin in our own lives- broken relationships, physical consequences, etc.

Some suffering is caused by sins of others- I know some of you have experienced abuse at the hands of another. Some of you have been lied to, taken advantage of, etc. Perhaps you’ve even lost a loved one due to the sinful actions of another.

And some suffering is due to sin’s affects on the world- natural disasters, death, illness, etc.

But suffering is not a destination- As Christians, we must look at suffering as something we are walking through not walking to.

So, if you picked up a bulletin, I invite you to follow along using the sermon guide as we learn together 3 benefits associated with suffering as a Christian. The sermon is entitled, The Upside of Suffering.

The first upside of suffering as a Christian is

We Experience God’s Comfort (3-5)

Let me just read this again for you (READ)

Now, we already established the reality of suffering. Here, Paul goes through great lengths praise God for the comfort he and others have recieved amid their suffering. Right, it’s not suffering that brings comfort, but it is God who brings comfort.

Now, the Corinthians had some discomforts and faced persecution on certain levels. Yet, they had not experienced the poverty like the Jewish-Christian churches in Jerusalem. Nor had they faced the degree of physical persecution that Paul and the other apostles endured.

Paul explains that it is through his suffering that he experienced the true comfort of God.

This comfort is a bit different than the fluffy pillows and A/C you and I might be familiar with- we do not know true poverty or persecution. We likely take for granted our health and other physical comforts.

No, the comfort that comes from God surpasses all the physical realities that we might be in the midst of. It is a supernatural comfort.

Some examples of this comfort are the calmness and confidence of God’s presence even though your circumstances are impossible.

In Daniel 3, we see that comfort demonstrated in the 3 young Hebrew men who refused to worship the statue of Nebuchadnezzar. They were not assured that they would not suffer the fiery furnace, but they had confidence that God was with them.

It is the comfort demonstrated in Mary as she bore the Messiah- she was not assured that she would not be mocked, divorced, or abandoned. Yet, she had God’s comfort.

It is the comfort of the God that gave Moses confidence to go to Egypt and demand that Pharoah release the Hebrew slaves

In v. 5, Paul says that just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

We, the church, are the body of Christ and as such we are promised afflictions. Yet, we are also promised incomparable joy and glory in His resurrection!

Unified in Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit as our comforter- our seal and reminder of what Christ has prepared for us. There will be a day when suffering ceases all together! There will be a day when we will know God as we are known!

Christian, when you experience suffering, remember that God is the God of comfort. He may not take away your illness or your hardship, but His mercies are new every morning and His grace is sufficient. God’s comfort is one upside to suffering as a Christian.

Discuss: Describe God’s comfort in your life.

Next, Paul shows us that through our suffering and God’s comfort to us,

We Are Qualified to Comfort Others (4, 6-7)

Look back to the 2nd part of v. 4 - (READ beginning with “so that...”)

Paul explains that the suffering he and others experienced is useful to encourage the Corinthian church. If Christianity were promised as a religion with no sacrifice, no hard times, no troubles, etc. Anyone who ascribed would immediately walk away from it as soon as the sufferings come… maybe you know someone like this.

But being a Christian does not mean that we will not experience suffering. Therefore, in order to give strength and comfort to other Christians, those who have experienced God’s comfort amid their own suffering, can walk with others through their suffering.

This is more than a few minutes of conversation on a Sunday or Wednesday- it’s doing real life together!

You see, we being the body of Christ, are called to be on mission. Christianity is not a consumer activity or spectator sport. Far from it, we are called to GO MAKE DISCIPLES!!

We do this in part as we share the comfort we have received in Christ with others who are suffering. In other words, we pour from the cup that Christ has filled in us.

ILL: Many of you have walked through hard times and looking back, you see God’s mercy. Did you know that there are people who are suffering right now in similar ways as you experienced?

There are people who have elderly parents whose health is failing.. They need you to be their comfort!

There are people who have been abused physically, sexually, and mentally- they need you who have experienced God’s comfort to walk with them; to assure them of God’s steadfast love and mercy; of their value as a child of God.

There are people who are battling cancer who need to be shown God’s comfort and perspective by someone who has been on that road.

There are those right now who are being tried by the world and they feel like they are about to break- folks, now is the time to demonstrate, as Paul said in v. 7b -(READ)

The upside of our suffering is that we get to experience God’s comfort so that we can comfort others as we build up Christ’s Church.

Discuss: How has God equipped you to walk with others through their suffering?

The final upside of suffering that Paul reveals is

We Learn to Trust God (8-11)

How many of you have ever heard “God will not give you more than you can handle.”?

Well, that’s not true. Listen to these verses again (READ)

Paul shares his personal story, how he and Timothy and Silas faced such persecution that they could not bear it. The apostle Paul was in despair! He thought he was not going to make it, that what he was facing was surely death.

Let me just stop here for a second. Some of you listening have experienced something similar. Some of you were in such a state that you just knew that your life was over. And as you’ve shared your stories, I notice that you didn’t share this in despair, but in joy.

You experienced the joy that Paul and Timothy had- you were forced to lay your life and aspirations in God’s hands alone. You knew that you could do nothing in your power. You just had to trust God.

Like Paul, perhaps you had the prayers of the church going up to God, knowing that the only possible intervention, the only possible rescue would have to come from the Author of Life Himself. And there you rested in the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.

Still there are others who are walking this path right now. I know of a few folks in our community who have been given the news that there is nothing more that can be done due to their illness or condition.

Friends, there is no promise that God will intervene and heal you on this earth. Will you trust in God even though…?

Indeed there are others who, because of age-related ailments who recognize that their time on earth is drawing to a close. Yet, here you have the opportunity to trust God who raises the dead.

This is a trust that transcends our time in this life!

It is in the midst of this suffering that we are given clarity that our hope is not in this flesh. It’s not in our wealth or our abilities. No, in our suffering, Christian, you and I get to the place where we must profess as Paul does in verse 10 that “My Hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness!” and then we experience what the hymn-writers of old penned-

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus was inspired by a personal tragedy and the subsequent mercies of God Almighty

It is well with my soul also was penned following the tragic loss of the hymn-writers own children...

Folks,

Perhaps you are right now in the midst of suffering and you need to experience God’s supernatural comfort. Maybe you need to someone to pray over you this morning- someone to walk this path with you. I’ll be down front as we sing and would love to pray with you and even help connect you to someone who can share God’s comfort.

And if you are here and have never trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I want to invite you to set your hope upon Christ, the God of All comfort.

[PRAY]

Discuss: Look at v. 9. How can our sufferings lead us to trust Christ?