The Comforter
2 Corinthians 1:3-7,
I want to speak concerning the comfort that we have through and because of Jesus. This is a particular passage that the Lord recently used to comfort my heart, and I thought that this would be a really good passage to comfort all of our hearts; a very beautiful passage that talks explicitly about the comfort that we have. I want to briefly focus on these five different points of comfort in this passage, really this whole chapter and I'm going to try and do it as concisely as possible.
1. The Comfort of God
The first one of these is the God of Comfort. Because we have come to Jesus in faith we know God no longer as our Creator and our Judge, but we know him now as the God of all comfort. We know him as our God, as the one who condescends to us, and who cares for us. And rather than speaking the word of wrath that we deserve, instead, when we suffer in this life he speaks to us through Christ’s comfort.
2. The Comfort of the Holy Spirit
So we see the God of comfort in verse 3, but then in addition to that, we see and we have the Comforter. In verse 22, toward the end of the chapter it says, “It is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us, and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” So not only do we know God as the God of all comfort, we have the Comforter who dwells in us. Remember, Jesus said to his disciples that he would send the Comforter with the Holy Spirit. And so, not only do we know God is the God of comfort, he actually indwells us. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, indwells us and gives us the comfort that we are his, and that he is going to keep us until the end.
3. Tangible Comfort
And then, in addition to that, as if that wasn't already amazing enough, in verse 4, because of this we actually experience comfort. When things are bad, when things are not going well, when there's confusion and frustration, we receive comfort; legitimate, actual, tangible comfort because of knowing God through Jesus, and because of having the Comforter dwelling in us. This word for comfort means the lifting of spirits, consolation. And so regardless of what is going on, we still have comfort that comes to us because of Jesus. We know that our sins are forgiven because of Him. We know God through Jesus, and we know him, his Son. Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they know you and Jesus, whom you have sent.” And we have the comfort of knowing that we have flesh and blood in heaven interceding for us and our mediator. And we have the hope, the hope of heaven, the hope of the new heavens and the new earth. So we have very good and rich comfort.
4. The Comfort of the Church
Not only that, we are actually a means of comfort to others. In verses 4-7, that's what's going on here. We receive comfort in our affliction for the reason of being able to give that same comfort to others when they are in that affliction. No doubt most of you know what it's like to experience some sort of affliction or suffering. And other people can give you real and legitimate and Biblical encouragement. But then there's that person who knows exactly what you're going through, and they know exactly how to say that particular word, because they know how they were comforted when they were going through the same thing. We are able to be that to each other. We are able to be a source of comfort to each other. And by way of application we're doing this tonight; one of the ways that we can do this is through prayers. We can pray for one another's comfort, and we can speak words of comfort to one another. So we have the God of Comfort, the Comforter, we have comfort ourselves, and we are a means of comfort for others.
5. The Day of Comfort
And then lastly there is the day of comfort. Verse 14 says, “We are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand, and I hope you will fully understand just as you did partially understand us, that on the day of our Lord Jesus, you will boast of us, as we will boast of you.” That day being referred to, the day of the Lord Jesus, is the day when He returns in glory. That is the day of comfort. For us, that is the day when we will no longer know anything except for comfort; no affliction, no confusion, no frustrations, it will only be a day of comfort for us.
So the main point that I'm trying to make is that because of Jesus we know God as the God of Comfort; we have the Comforter dwelling in us; we experience comfort in the midst of our sufferings; we are a means of comfort to others; and we are waiting for the day, that blessed day of comfort.
So lastly, as we're coming to prayer, I thought, practically speaking:
So may the Lord take this word and comfort each of us.
“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 may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you also share in our comfort.”
I want to speak concerning the comfort that we have through and because of Jesus. This is a particular passage that the Lord recently used to comfort my heart, and I thought that this would be a really good passage to comfort all of our hearts; a very beautiful passage that talks explicitly about the comfort that we have. I want to briefly focus on these five different points of comfort in this passage, really this whole chapter and I'm going to try and do it as concisely as possible.
1. The Comfort of God
The first one of these is the God of Comfort. Because we have come to Jesus in faith we know God no longer as our Creator and our Judge, but we know him now as the God of all comfort. We know him as our God, as the one who condescends to us, and who cares for us. And rather than speaking the word of wrath that we deserve, instead, when we suffer in this life he speaks to us through Christ’s comfort.
2. The Comfort of the Holy Spirit
So we see the God of comfort in verse 3, but then in addition to that, we see and we have the Comforter. In verse 22, toward the end of the chapter it says, “It is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us, and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” So not only do we know God as the God of all comfort, we have the Comforter who dwells in us. Remember, Jesus said to his disciples that he would send the Comforter with the Holy Spirit. And so, not only do we know God is the God of comfort, he actually indwells us. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, indwells us and gives us the comfort that we are his, and that he is going to keep us until the end.
3. Tangible Comfort
And then, in addition to that, as if that wasn't already amazing enough, in verse 4, because of this we actually experience comfort. When things are bad, when things are not going well, when there's confusion and frustration, we receive comfort; legitimate, actual, tangible comfort because of knowing God through Jesus, and because of having the Comforter dwelling in us. This word for comfort means the lifting of spirits, consolation. And so regardless of what is going on, we still have comfort that comes to us because of Jesus. We know that our sins are forgiven because of Him. We know God through Jesus, and we know him, his Son. Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they know you and Jesus, whom you have sent.” And we have the comfort of knowing that we have flesh and blood in heaven interceding for us and our mediator. And we have the hope, the hope of heaven, the hope of the new heavens and the new earth. So we have very good and rich comfort.
4. The Comfort of the Church
Not only that, we are actually a means of comfort to others. In verses 4-7, that's what's going on here. We receive comfort in our affliction for the reason of being able to give that same comfort to others when they are in that affliction. No doubt most of you know what it's like to experience some sort of affliction or suffering. And other people can give you real and legitimate and Biblical encouragement. But then there's that person who knows exactly what you're going through, and they know exactly how to say that particular word, because they know how they were comforted when they were going through the same thing. We are able to be that to each other. We are able to be a source of comfort to each other. And by way of application we're doing this tonight; one of the ways that we can do this is through prayers. We can pray for one another's comfort, and we can speak words of comfort to one another. So we have the God of Comfort, the Comforter, we have comfort ourselves, and we are a means of comfort for others.
5. The Day of Comfort
And then lastly there is the day of comfort. Verse 14 says, “We are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand, and I hope you will fully understand just as you did partially understand us, that on the day of our Lord Jesus, you will boast of us, as we will boast of you.” That day being referred to, the day of the Lord Jesus, is the day when He returns in glory. That is the day of comfort. For us, that is the day when we will no longer know anything except for comfort; no affliction, no confusion, no frustrations, it will only be a day of comfort for us.
So the main point that I'm trying to make is that because of Jesus we know God as the God of Comfort; we have the Comforter dwelling in us; we experience comfort in the midst of our sufferings; we are a means of comfort to others; and we are waiting for the day, that blessed day of comfort.
So lastly, as we're coming to prayer, I thought, practically speaking:
1. We should be aware that many of us are suffering right now and some are grieving the loss of dear loved ones. Some are suffering for other various reasons, and we should pray that the Lord will grant the comfort that only one can know through Jesus. We should pray that the Lord will give more of that comfort to our dear brothers and sisters. And then,
2. Even when it comes to praying for the lost, for those who are outside of Christ, we can pray that the Lord would strip away those things which are presently comforting them; those worldly, earthly comforts that keep them from recognizing their need to come to Christ. We can pray that the Lord would strip away their false comforts, their earthly comforts, and bring them to a place where they realize that they need that real eternal spiritual comfort that only comes through Christ. And lastly,
3. We can meditate on the person and the work of Christ. That is where our comfort comes from; thinking about who he is, what he has done, that we are going to see him and all that he has yet to do. “What no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor the heart of man can imagine the things that God has prepared for those who love him.”
So may the Lord take this word and comfort each of us.
Posted in Pastor Devotional