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Comfort In Troubled Times.Why do we have to go through tough times? Why is it that life is filled with problems, and difficulties? Good questions, and ones that as we beginning a series of studies in the 2 Corinthians the Apostle Paul address in the first chapter. We saw in our studies of his first letter, Paul wrote the Church in Corinth in order to help them stay on track, to straighten out some problems that had crept into the church, and that they might have unity within their congregation. Now as we begin this second letter, we see that there were some in Corinth that did not receive the exhortations that Paul gave in his first letter. It appears that there were a number of people what were questioning Paul’s motives, challenging his integrity, and even testing his Apostleship. So Paul lovingly writes this second letter like a loving father, who desires to see them develop and become mature in the Lord. He writes this second letter, probably less than a year after the first, because there are threats from false teachers. So Paul asserts his rights as an apostle, then provides clear guidelines on how to recognize those who are called of God - from those who have come only to fleece the flock of God. There's a simple way to tell a sheep - from a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Look at what they eat, a wolf can be recognized by what he eats, wolves eat sheep. Sheep feed on grass, and so it it is in the church, a wolf will divided and devourer the flock of God, but Sheep will follow our chief shepherd - Jesus, they will graze on the nourishment of the word of God. Paul is a true under- shepherd, one who cared for the sheep and tended the flock – he feed them properly, and gave them comfort as they went though discouraging times. So today, as we consider the first part of chapter one, I would like us to see how God brings comfort even in tough times. I've called this message, “Comfort in troubling times.” Because that is what the church in Corinth needed and that is certainly what we need today. Comfort, when things are tough. Chad Walsh once said: The true function of a preacher is to disturb the comfortable and to comfort the disturbed." So that is exactly what I hope to do today. READ THE TEXT CORINTHIANS 1:1-3
When Paul wrote this letter he was going through troubling times. Trouble was all about him. . 2 Cor 6:4-5 ….As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger. Troubling times and yet Paul's his ministry was exploding, even while he is going though some “tough and troubling times.” There was trouble from the opposition, as Satan was trying to destroy him. There was trouble from within the churches, even in Corinth where some questioned his authority, and integrity. They were saying, “He said he would come back and visit - but look he lied to you.” Paul faced trouble from the Jews, he was stoned, and scourged five times, he face trouble from nature, tossed by the sea and eventually shipwrecked. He even faced trouble in his own body. 2 Cor 12:7-8 ….there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." His body was failing and there was trouble all about him yet we see in Paul a steadfastness and a man who receives comfort, encouragement, from God. Why do difficult times happen? First, so we can receive comfort from God. Paul like many of us here today was facing hardships. Some of you are going through difficult / troubling times. Some face the troubles and pressures of life, just to make it financially each week to pay the bills and put some food on the table, to raise the kids. Your not looking for great wealth, but just to have week where you don't feel the pressure. Others face the troubles in these bodies that are failing. For some its that nagging pain that just won’t go away, others a disease or a sickness, in your bodies or the body of someone we love. Maybe you're just like Paul who prayed and God said; “there is no healing.” Others, like every Christian, you are facing trouble because you live with a “Christian world view” in a world that is growing farther and farther from godly principles. Trouble is all about us, like Paul. But we should not be surprised for Jesus said. John 16:33 ... In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." “I have overcome the world.” The cross was before him, but he knew that victory comes after the pain. If there is any comfort to be found it is always found in the presence of Jesus. Our text calls God “the Father of compassion and God of all comfort.” I like that, for that truly is God’s nature. He is the God of comfort and compassion. The bible says, “God is love” - on the mountain God revealed his nature to Moses when he said. Ex 34:6-7…."The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin….. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished You know that those words, “the compassionate and gracious God...”, are in the Old Testament 20 different times. What comfort there is in knowing God – for God is the God of all comfort, he has compassion and he gives grace. God loves to forgive and we are comforted by him as the scriptures say, “If God be for us who can be against us?” There is even comfort in knowing that God will not leave the guilty unpunished, because he is perfect in his justice. God is consistent, he is all just, all powerful, yet at the same time - full of compassion. Is that your view of God? Or do you see him as some Neptune character who was out to get you if you slipped up one bit. But the bible portrays God as all holy, all just, and yet compassionate and abounding in love toward those who love him. So where do you find comfort when you in a time of trouble?” Look with me at what Paul writes the Corinthians. He starts with blessing and praise as he recognizing that it is God who gives comfort. Jesus said that when we are burdened down and worried about life, in need of provisions - food, clothing and shelter, we are to seek God first, and he will give you what you need. He said look around at the birds of the air, look at the flowers of the fields, they are always provided for – are you not more valuable then they? Sometimes I am stand in awe of how the Lord provides. We have seen it over and over again, when some of you were in need of work, God provided. When work seemed slow, out of nowhere, God provided. Here in the fellowship, we have been able to expand so we now rent four units, each time we take a step of faith and each time the Lord provides. Every month the rents are paid, the missionaries are given an offering, we are able to help out a few folks. So Jesus tells us don’t sweat it, even if there are troubles, seek God first. He concludes by saying. Matt 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Later he tells us to: Matt 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." I have found that my troubles are multiplied when I worry? That stress embraced, leads to more stress. But Jesus says, “come to me, give me your weary heart, cast your cares on me, I can carry your burden.” How do we do that? How can I cast my cares on him and do what he told me to do? TURN TO PHILIPPIANS 2:1-8 Comfort, comes from God when we are like minded with Christ. Living in humility, serving one another in the example given by Jesus. Not seeking your own good but the good of others and living a life of obedience. Follow the example of Jesus he took the nature of a servant / slave. When was the last time you were a slave to your spouse? Being a servant starts at home, its the husband who serves his wife, the wife who serves her husband. When was the last time you served others – without complaining about it? Comfort from God comes not with and attitude of “how am I going to be ministered to”, but “how can I minster to others.” Practically step out, we reach out, and you just might find that you are receiving comfort from God as you reach out to others. Is there any comfort? Comfort is found at the foot of the cross. Where a man / a woman can find peace with God. Comfort comes from the Holy Spirit who is called the comforter, and will shine in your life when you are born again. Comfort in troubled times begins with a relationship with God. When you know that God is on your side, because you are on God’s side. Have you trusted in Christ today? That is the beginning because -- comfort comes from God.
Comfort comes from trials. What? It's true, hard times, troubles, let us receive comfort from God and give comfort to others. Throughout the bible we are taught that spiritual strength comes from the growing of our faith, and faith is grown in the fires of troubles, problems, and trails. Faith is like a precious metal that is refined by fire, when the heat goes up on the gold, the impurities come out. So it is with our faith, all the impurities come to the top when the heat is applied. When we go though troubles, what one of two things with happen to those impurities. a. IMPURITIES ARE MANIFEST , OR IMPURITIES ARE REMOVED. When the fire is applied, troubles come, the impurities in your life will come to the surface and they will either manifest themselves as things that are not pleasing to the Lord. Or they will be removed as God works in your life. When problems come, people around you will will either see sin, some ugly things: Bitterness, fits of rage, malice, and vile speech. Or they will see God removing those things as your faith grows. Heb 12:14-15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. For a follower of Jesus, when you go thought tough times, and the impurities in your life are manifest, it will just cause more troubles, and it will defile many. Defile means make impure. But there's God's option, when the fires come, our faith will be refined and those impurities will float to the top and God will gently remove them. I've shared how at one time I had an ugly temper. And God had been working on me and allowed me to see how ugly anger is. One incident I recall happened when I was mad at my boss, and when I was angry I used to like to hit a wall, just to prove how manly, I was. Well, I struck this wall in a warehouse where I worked, but what I didn’t know was that behind the Sheetrock - was a steal beam. I pulled back my fist and my knuckles were bloody and my co-workers were looking at me like I was nuts. As I looked at that blood, I felt the Lord say to me, “Rich, My blood was shed for that - sin of anger.” My friends when trials come, we can either grow and glow. Or we can complain and be in pain. Its all a matter of our hearts attitude toward the troubles we are in. James says it best. James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Its a mindset, “consider it or count it - all joy.” Like the scriptures in Philippians, let this be your attitude- put on the mind of Christ. Jon Courson once said. “You can't always change your situation, but you can change your mind. You can put on the mind of Christ- put on the attitude of Jesus.” In faith we look beyond your current situation, and choose to see what God is trying to work out in you. Paul says, he suffered in Asia, was far beyond his ability to endure, but it happened so that he might rely on God and not his own abilities. Whenever I go though any tough situation, I try to ask the Lord, “What are you trying to teach me in this situation.” The Lord often puts me in situations that are far beyond my abilities to endure, and even my abilities to cope. He wants his children to grow, then to glow, he wants us to bear much fruit. Like a loving father, he will do whatever it takes in our lives to make us grow in faith. But we can have comfort in all that. Ps 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. How often I try to handle troubles my own way – but God is an ever present help in times of trouble. On March 31st, Faith Caroline Fischmann was born, to Mitch and Diana. She was not expected to live but a few hours and now it has been three weeks. Mitch and Diana, have watched God bring them comfort, in this time of trouble. And they have been able to comfort others because of the trouble they have had. Diana has shared with several ladies who have had difficult pregnancies, she has been able to share Jesus with folks who were not normally open. All because God has been their refuge and strength in the time of trouble. Friends we have a heavenly Father who can and will bring comfort and healing even in the middle of troubling times. Listen to David's words. Psalms 27:4-5 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. David, makes the Lord - Lord of his life, he puts his confidence in God, he dwells in fellowship with the Lord and just enjoys that relationship. When trouble comes, (and it will come) it is the Lord who caries him through it. That's why Jesus said, “seek first the kingdom and his righteousness.” So no matter if we cause our own troubles or if they come from nowhere. God is the God of all comfort. Then comfort comes as God allows trouble to develop us and use us to help others. Finally.
Yeah, this sounds good, deliverance is like God wrapping his arms around you. In 1971 Andrae Crouch wrote a song that speaks about this faithfulness of God to bring comfort and deliverance. “I've had many tears and
sorrows - I've had questions for tomorrow Thru it all thru it all -Oh
I've learned to trust in Jesus - I've learned to trust in God Paul reminds us there is deliverance from God. He was delivered from a shipwreck, a deadly snake on Malta, and many other situations. And he found great comfort is fond in God's deliverance. Then knowing that God has delivered him, he say God will deliver me and he will continue to deliver me. Past, present, and future, that's important to know because Paul did not know what his future held. You and I don't know what the future holds. For Paul the future would hold: house arrest, then prison. Yet his ministry will flourish he will prosper in jail, until the day his future held - death by the sword as he was beheaded in Rome. Friends, there is great comfort in knowing that God will deliver us out of all of our troubles. But like the song said, For if I'd never had a problem - I wouldn't know that He could solve them - I'd never know what faith in God could do. Remember what God has done, he has delivered us from the greatest of all troubles. From the wages of this sinful life - death, and delivered us into eternal life. So when the day of trouble comes, allow God to bring you comfort, from the Holy Spirit, from the lessons learned in the trial. What should we do when trouble comes? James 5:13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray….. There is a powerful connection between comfort and prayer. Prayer changes things, because prayer changes me. And comfort in trouble is found when we draw closer to the Lord. As Jesus said; “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” This world and all its problems, life with all its cares, will pass away, but those who trust in Christ, will live forever. INVITE, PRAY, BENEDICTION - SING Series: 2 Corinthians -Through the Bible |
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