Opening Prayer:
You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey your words. I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes. I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands (Psalms 119:57-60). In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Today’s Bible Verse: Read 2 Corinthians 1:1-7.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort (2 Corinthians 1:2-7).
Associated Scriptures:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (John 14:27).
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
Supportive Quotes:
Troubles, Paul said, help Christians shift their perspective from the external and temporal to the internal and eternal.[1] – John Walvoord
…here are ten basic words for suffering in the Greek language, and Paul used five of them in this letter. The most frequently used word is thlipsis, which means "narrow, confined, under pressure," and in this letter is translated affliction (2 Corinthians 2:4; 4:17), tribulation (2 Corinthians 1:4), and trouble (2 Corinthians 1:4,8). Paul felt hemmed in by difficult circumstances, and the only way he could look was up.[2] – Warren Wiersbe
If you live for the next world, you get this one in the deal: but if you live only for this world, you lose them both. [3] – C. S. Lewis
Biblical Analysis:
Introduction: Paul Rediscovers a Relationship with the Church at Corinth.
Titus was to deliver Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth. Paul eagerly awaited a response from Titus. Historical and textual evidence (2 Corinthians 7:8-9) indicated that Paul feared his words may have been too strong. However, when Titus finally reported back to Paul that changes had taken place in their attitudes and practices (2 Corinthians 7:6-7). He immediately penned the second letter.
God’s Comfort:
The appropriate response to God’s comfort is praise and worship to Him for what He has accomplished in us. Instead, the Christians of the church at Corinth were suffering greatly from their disunity (1 Corinthians 1:10-11). The lack of a unified spirit was the cause of morality issues (1 Corinthians 5:11), unresolved disputes resulting in court cases (1 Corinthians 6:1-6), problems in marriages (1 Corinthians 7), meat offered to idols (1 Corinthians 8), and spiritual gift conflicts (1 Corinthians 12), all resulting in backbiting and infighting. The church had forgotten its purpose. They had placed their own needs in place of the needs of others. They had become self-directed instead of being Spirit-directed.
Instead of praising God for their salvation and seeking Him in all the situations of life, they sought only to please themselves. Therefore, in this third verse of chapter one, Paul encourages them to fall on their knees before God and give Him the glory He deserves. “Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In this one statement, Paul gives them the pattern for forgiveness and repentance, the act of recognizing the worthiness of God and His provision for sin while confessing our weaknesses reflected in our evil nature.
The root of God’s comfort lies in His compassion. The expression of that compassion is grace and mercy. In God’s great mercy, He sent His son, Jesus, to die for Sin. He is the payment, the propitiation, for sin (1 John 2:1-3). The indication that we have received the free gift of salvation is obedience to Him.
The reward of God’s great compassion is His comfort. The comfort He bestows on us is an assurance that we will be able to survive the arrows of pain and suffering. Like a dart through our hearts, we suffer for the sin in our lives. But we also suffer for the cause of Christ. In all cases of physical and psychological pain, God is there is give us comfort.
Spiritual Application:
We are commanded to love others in John 13:34-35. But in addition to loving others, since we are comforted, we should also comfort others. This is an appropriate reaction to the security and the ongoing assurance we find through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Love and comfort go hand in hand.
Lesson Within the Lesson:
How do we praise God? Read Psalms 100, 149 and 150.
When will we not feel the comfort that God has for us?
What triggers God’s comfort? See Psalm 116: 1-2 and 119:48-52.
Think of a time in our life when God has been a great comfort to you. Tell others your story of comfort.
[1] John Walvoord, New Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries. All rights reserved.
[2] Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright © 1989 by Chariot Victor Publishing, and imprint of Cook Communication Ministries. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
[3] C. S. Lewis, C. S. Lewis Quotes, pinterest.com/pin/476889048033115958/.
A Few Clouds, 62°