Comfort

2 Corinthians 1
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.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4


Background:
The city of Corinth was in Greece. It had two seaports. The city's location made it a crossroads for travel and commerce and contributed to its prosperity. Ship captains would often haul overland their cargo to the opposite side in order to avoid the rough, stormy sea.

Corinth was also known for hosting athletic events known as the Isthmian games. Every two years these event took place. Huge crowds provided great financial rewards.

This is the same church to whom Paul wrote the first apistle. Sources say that two other letters written to the same church had been lost, so this is actually the fourth letter Paul wrote to the Corinthian church. This church had some problems, which Paul addressed in the previous letter-divisions, immoral practices, a group flaunting spiritual gifts, a legalistic group, and others offering false teachings about the Resurrection. They were a multiethnic church made up of Greeks, Romans, and Jews, plus social classes of rich, poor, and slaves. Thus, it was a troubled congregation. Paul wrote this letter at a time when relations between him and the church at Corinth were strained.
(Resource: Shepherd's Notes)

Apparently, Paul's ministry, apostleship, and message were challenged. A group of false apostles were trying to influence the congregation to turn from Paul's teachings.

Titus met Paul in Macedonia with the report of the Corinthian church's warm acceptance of Paul's letter and eagerness to see him. The majority had repented of their rebellion against Paul, which was a relief and joyful news for him. (2 Cor.7:5-16)   (Resource: John MacArthur's The MacArthur Bible Handbook)

Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia and sent it to Corinth by Titus. The 1 Corinthians letter was written while Paul was in Ephesus and carried by Titus, also.

Shepherd's Notes says,"Several relevant topics surface in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians:
suffering, ministry, leadership and authority, the nature of the gospel, and Christian giving."

Now that we have this background, let's get into the Word.


LET IT GLOW

Have you experienced a time in your life when you needed to be comforted? If we have lived very long, we all have. It may have been as a child whenever we got hurt and our parent comforted us. It may have been during the loss of a parent, the loss of a job, or a friend's hurtful words. The list can go on, can't it? Where did we turn for comfort? Was it the Lord Jesus? Was it a spouse, a parent, or a friend? After my mother passed away, I turned to the Word for strength and comfort, then to others.

In The Experiencing God Study Bible, a side note states, "God is the source of grace, peace, mercy, compassion, and comfort. (verses 2-4)

In verse 3, Paul describes the Father as the "God of all comfort." What does that mean to us?

David Guzik's Commentaries on the Bible tells us,"all comfort in the Greek is paraklesis.  In the New Testament, it means greater than soothing sympathy. It has the idea of strengthening, of helping, of making strong. God in every aspect of His being is full of comfort, strength, and help for us. One great purpose of God in comforting us is so that we can bring comfort to others. God's comfort can be given and received through others. Pride often keeps us from revealing our needs to others, so we never receive the comfort God would give us through them."

Webster's Dictionary says the meaning of comfort is "console."

Shepherd's Notes states,"He is the God of all comfort, which means that His comfort meets every need. Those with troubled hearts may find strength in Him."

How wonderful it is that I have a Savior who can comfort me, no matter what my need. All I need to do is just turn to Him.
Then He wants me to comfort others in the same situation.

Verses 4-5 in NLT state, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ."

In verse 4, in place of the words tribulation (KJV) or trouble (NLT), other versions use the words affliction (NAS), sorrow (Williams), suffering (Beck).

Hebrews 2:18 states, "Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are baeing tested."
To me, it sounds like whether  my burden is large or small, God is there for me.


LET IT GROW

Verse 12, NLT, states, "We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity (KJV says simplicity and godly sincerity) in all our dealings. We have depended on God's grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.

The Greek word for simplicity means singleness; the virtue of one free from pretense and hypocrisy; not self-seeking, openness of heart manifesting itself by generosity. (King James Dictionary)
Sincerity has the same word in the Greek and its meaning.

Webster's Dictionary refers simplicity to the condition of being simple. Simple means elementary, not complicated; plain, not elaborate; pure, absolute; humble.

With those definitions, I can admit that my mind is simplictic, if there is such a word (probably it in misspelled). I like to live a plain life, trying not to pretend to be something I'm not. If I'm not happy, I'm not happy, so why pretend?

So Paul tells me that  in all my dealings, I am to be without pretense and hypocrisy, to be honest and sincere, showing God's holiness.
In other words, don't say one thing and do or be another.


LET IT GO

Seek God's comfort because it is available.

Be simple and sincere.