A friend of mine at work, who worked in middle management, she was a great encourager. She was always vibrant and allowed those who worked with her to pour out their hearts to her about their woes. She was never condemning. She was always ready to listen to those who were distressed. Almost everyone at work admired and respected her.
Contrast her with another co-worker who was her counterpart in middle management. This counter-part was loud, boisterous and very uncompassionate. This manager was pushy, rude and condemning. This manager never had time to listen to any problems and therefore was disliked by almost everyone at work. No one had respect for this person.
Then one day in a reorganization of the company, the well-liked manager was let go and the pushy counterpart was placed over everyone. Needless to say virtually all my co-workers were distressed and downcast. How could management be so foolish to do this? All of us wondered why.
Affliction. It is all around us. Every where we turn we can find it. People all over are asking the simple question: why. And the amazing thing is that we don’t know why. We do not have the specifics of why things occur. How do we respond to all the afflictions that occur around us.
Being the visual person that I am, I like to visualize things. Life is like being outside a house looking to the inside through the windows. We look through the window of the kitchen to get a glimpse of what is inside. Perhaps there is a big bay window and we get a perspective from the various angles of that bay window. We can walk a little farther around the house and gain a little more perspective by looking in other windows. And we might feel that we have a pretty good grasp on what is inside that house, but we will never have a complete picture of that house until we step inside.
Suffering is like looking into that house through the windows. We may have a certain perspective looking at suffering from one angle, but we will never have a complete picture of it until the Lord returns.
The passage before us this morning is looking at suffering. It is giving us a threefold view of that suffering. It is giving us a bay window look at suffering. It gives us three windows from which we may view suffering. The first of these three windows is what I like to term as this: The Lord’s comfort is available to us.
To gain a proper perspective of this passage we first need to set the foundation upon which it is built. 2 Corinthians is perhaps the most challenging book of the New Testament, outside of the book of Revelation. Paul writes this book in what many term a disjointed style. He uses rather long sentences that make more sense in the Greek than the English, and often seems to contradict other passages that he penned. Yet this book is as one commentator wrote, an "intimate view of a pastor’s heart as the Apostle Paul shepherds the people of God."
In a chronological sense this book is probably the fourth book that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians. In the book of 1 Corinthians Paul dealt with a variety of subjects including, but not limited to these: Sexual matters, human wisdom versus the wisdom from above, and walking by sight and not faith. A main concern of the Apostle Paul focuses upon a defense of his apostleship. And then in this passage we come to the topic of affliction.
The book of 2 Corinthians uses the term affliction (tribulation) over nine times. It is a topic that is very near to the Apostle’s heart. Now in this passage Paul praises our God as a God of all comfort. It is here that we have our first window from which we may look at tribulation.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."
God here is not just simply the creator, but he is the Father of our Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. Here the God is described as the Father of mercies. God is therefore the author of mercy. And God is also the definition of mercy.
God is also the God of all comfort, not just some comfort or just a lot of comfort. But He is the God of all comfort. God is able to be called to ones aide. He is close by to help.
"Who comforteth us in all our tribulation." God is not promising here to be near when there is distress in our lives. He is promising to be there in all tribulations and afflictions. The word translated here tribulation means distress brought on by external circumstances. Those situations that we have no control over and are very distressing in our lives God has promised to be with us in all these instances. God’s care is an active care. He is active in comforting us. He is active in shepherding us.
But what is the reason for all this? The answer to this is found in verse four. "That we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Simply, the reason that God is active in our lives is so that we may be able to help others.
Sufferers know pain. Sufferers know the plight that they are in from their hearts. Sufferers know how their hearts ache when they suffer. Sufferers have empathy. The reason that we have afflictions is so that we can comfort others that suffer afflictions.
What is the scope of that comfort that God has given us? It is unlimited in its scope since the source of our comfort is God Himself. The passage plainly says "by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." What comfort we receive from God we can present to others. Man testifies to God’s comfort. There are now two sources of comfort available to us: God’s and God’s through man.
Remember the story of Elijah. Elijah was called by God to declare a drought in the land. God miraculously sustained Elijah those three and one-half years. And then at the end of that drought Elijah had a contest with the prophets of Baal. Oh, those prophets of Baal cried for hours for their god to send fire down from heaven. Then Elijah poured the water on his offering and God sent a fire down from heaven and consumed that offering along with the altar and the water. Elijah had a tremendous victory there on Mount Carmel. He slew all the prophets of Baal. And then after the rain, Queen Jezebel put out her death threat against the man of God. Elijah ran at least three days journey into the wilderness a distance of over 110 miles. Then he left his servant and ran another days journey until he came to a cave and slept. There the Lord sent His angel to minister to Elijah by saying arise and eat. Then there came the violent whirlwind. But God was not in the whirlwind. Then came the earthquake. But God was not in the earthquake. Finally, God spoke to Elijah in a still small voice. The voice of God comforted the prophet. And it was revealed to Elijah that over 7000 men still had not bowed the knee to Baal.
Today God no longer speaks to us as He did to Elijah.
Hebrews 1:1-2, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son."
God doesn’t give us insight to our afflictions in the same manner he did to Elijah, but He has given us His Word that we might have the same comfort as Elijah did. God now uses one another to speak to us. Comfort is available to us from God and His people.
The second window to view afflictions if found in 2 Corinthian 1:5-7.
2 Corinthians 1:5-7, "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation."
A pattern is set up in this passage: affliction and comfort are compared. They are two sides of the same coin. Comfort and affliction go together.
Suffering has come or will come to many of us in abundance. When the season of suffering comes our way it is as if our plate is overflowing. Our plate cannot contain the suffering that we receive. But likewise when our plate of suffering is overflowing so is our comfort or consolation in Christ. That is what this passage is teaching us. Christ had suffering in abundance. And it is because of Christ that we have comfort in abundance. Remember the words of Christ:
John 15:20, "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also."
Then recall these words of Christ:
Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
Verse six shows us that Christ’s comfort is effective. "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."[1] The reason for your suffering and affliction is that it serves to work in your life for the life of others.
This verse states that it to work your salvation. The salvation spoken of here, is not the salvation of your soul from sin, but it is speaking of your sanctification and deliverance from the particular trial that you are enduring. It is speaking of that the comfort will help you arrive on the other side of tribulation.
Your endurance of the particular trial also inspires others in their tribulation. The Scripture is replete with examples of those that endured tribulation. Hebrews 11 lists believers throughout time that endured suffering because of their faith in God. These individuals inspire us to suffer patiently. All of us admire the captain whose courage and faithfulness help him to go down with the ship. We need to emulate these that inspire use to endure hardship.
Verse seven shows us that our comfort is secure.
2 Corinthians 1:7, "And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation."
Because of Christ, even in failure we have hope. Our hope is firmly grounded, secure, reliable, dependable and certain. Why? Because Christ is the cornerstone and foundation of our hope. He is secure, therefore our hope is stedfast.
Our hope is stedfast because we are partakers of Christ sufferings. The word stedfast comes from the Greek word Koinonia. Koinonia is the word that we often render fellowship. As we suffer we participate or fellowship with Christ in His suffering we also fellowship with Christ in comfort.
When I was a boy, I remember looking out on the eastern sky in the afternoons after the thunderstorms had past and viewing the rainbow. These rainbows stretched from north to south and sometimes I even saw a double rainbow. What did this mean. Of course you and I look back and Genesis 9 and know that the rainbow is a sign of God’s faithfulness. God’s faithfulness means that our comfort is just as dependable as the rainbow. And likewise the faithfulness of God should be the hallmark of the people of God in their comfort too.
The third window of the bay window shows us that the comfort of God is attainable.
2 Corinthians 1:8-11, "For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf."
Here there is a change in stress by the Apostle. In verse eight we read that the afflictions that the Apostle suffered with were indeed excessive. While we are not sure of the exact nature or particulars of the suffering, we know that they were indeed very intense. Notice the words that Paul uses: "we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life." The word used here is also used of the disciples in the Garden when they could not keep their eyes open because of sleep.[2] In fact the trial here was so intense that it is said to be beyond the strength of the Apostle Paul. He was discouraged to the point that he even despaired of life.
Brothers and sisters, even the Apostle Paul despaired of life. We also read of Job who wished he were dead. Elijah wished that he could die. Jonah wished that he could die. Even the people of God can be overwhelmed by suffering. Christ himself suffered in the garden and asked that this cup might pass from Him. Christ, in His humanity did not want to face suffering, yet He was faithful to the Father who comforted Him.
Listen as the I read of Paul’s life long perspective in 2 Corinthians 4:
2 Corinthians 4:8-9, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed."
While the Apostle despaired of life he looked beyond his own resources. While the sentence of death was upon him, He looked to Him who overcame death. God’s comfort was attainable for the Apostle Paul and it is attainable for you and I.
One commentator wrote that "God brings us into great straits so that our extremity is God’s opportunity." Paul said that when he came into tribulations so great that he could not handle them he trusted not in himself, but rather in the one who raised Christ from the dead.
Notice with me once again the progress of this passage: Paul states that God delivered. God will deliver. And that God will yet deliver. God’s comfort is for the past, the present and the future. God will not fail His people.
Yet Paul does not stop here with the comfort of God. He shows us that God comforted him also through the prayers of the saints. Prayer helps in the comfort of God. Prayer cooperates with God’s comfort. And Paul gives thanks for those prayers because God is glorified by our prayers.
In Acts 12 we have and example of how prayer works in the deliverance from tribulation. Remember Peter was imprisoned by Herod. Herod intended to put Peter to death and prayers were made by the saints for Peter. Those prayers delivered Peter from prison through the agency of an angel. In fact that deliverance was so miraculous that even those praying had difficulty believing that Peter was at the door when Rhoda told them he was there.
God’s great comfort is available to all of us through both the direct agency of God and the agency of His people.
But you ask, "What is the bottom line of this sermon?" The bottom line is this: God comforts through Himself and through His people.
I would be the last one this morning to state that God’s Word is not sufficient. It is wholly sufficient. But oftentimes we need others to minister God’s Word to us. We need others to comfort us.
Yet, when comfort fails to come, who fails: God or His people? Often I am afraid it is His people. When someone really hurts and is confused and overwhelmed what should God’s people do?
It is no secret to most of you here this morning that a little over two years ago, I lost my daughter to a rare form of cancer. At that time I had some come to me from the church who meant well, but failed in their comfort by saying "your daughter is ill because you ate at McDonalds too much." Or the told us that we needed to try x, y, or z. But that was not what we needed, we needed someone to sit down and listen to us and to pray for us and not judge us. Some things weren’t fixable by not eating at McDonalds. But all things were able to be comforted with the comfort that God supplies.
When my friend lost her job she told us she could not go to her church for comfort. She said that they wouldn’t understand. Brothers and sisters this should not be.
Can those that are hurting come to you for comfort. Are you willing to minister to them with the comfort that God has given you. Can they come to you for help? Will you listen to them without judging? Will you grieve with them?
It is the duty of the body to life up one another and to bear one another’s burdens. Pray that God grants you wisdom to know when to advise and when to weep.
All of us here today can fit into one of two categories: Either we are hurting or we are there to console. Let us be a group of people who can comfort one another.
(c) 1997 Cornerstone Publishing
This sermon was preached on January 26, 1997 by Larry Kilpatrick.
The footnotes were added by the editor to aid the reader in their study of the Scripture
[1] New American Standard
[2] Luke 9:32