WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.720 Well, good morning. I'd like to welcome you here to worship this morning. My name's Jeff. I'm one of the pastors here at Church of the Advent. 00:00:12.179 --> 00:00:18.300 And if this is your first time worshiping with us this morning, you've picked a good Sunday to come. 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:22.960 Later in the service, we're going to be celebrating some baptisms, which is going to be great. 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:29.100 And this morning, we are also beginning a new sermon series, which I'm excited about. 00:00:29.100 --> 00:00:33.980 This morning, we are starting a series in the book of 2 Corinthians. 00:00:34.899 --> 00:00:41.380 And we thought that 2 Corinthians would be a good book to study together right now in the life of our church, 00:00:41.380 --> 00:00:48.840 because the central theme of 2 Corinthians is God's power and our weakness. 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:56.760 That's the title of the sermon series this spring that we're going to be going through, Power and Weakness. 00:00:56.759 --> 00:01:04.480 Two years ago, almost coming up on two years ago, that the world changed completely as we know it. 00:01:05.819 --> 00:01:13.239 And I don't know about you, but the past two years have given me lots of opportunities to confront my own weaknesses and my own limitations. 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:20.719 I felt my weakness and my lack of control over my circumstances and just life in general. 00:01:21.299 --> 00:01:25.899 I have felt my weaknesses in facing the limitations of my own body and my mortality. 00:01:26.899 --> 00:01:31.079 I felt my weaknesses in facing my own insecurities and fears time and again. 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:40.719 And I'm sure if we had time this morning, I'm sure we could share all kinds of examples about ways in the past couple years that we've been forced to confront our weaknesses and our limitations. 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:50.379 And I don't know about you, but I think when it comes to thinking about experiencing the power of God, the presence of God in my life, 00:01:51.060 --> 00:01:55.340 my weaknesses aren't normally at the top of my list for like how to do that. 00:01:56.519 --> 00:02:04.859 I would say that probably my weaknesses are more of an obstacle or more of a hurdle to experiencing the power of God at work in my life. 00:02:04.859 --> 00:02:11.719 But one of the main things that we see when we study the second Corinthians, this letter from Paul, 00:02:11.900 --> 00:02:18.539 is that instead of being obstacles or hurdles to God's power in our life and to God's work in the world, 00:02:19.099 --> 00:02:25.900 we actually see that very often our weaknesses are the very vehicle that God chooses to use. 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:31.460 We see the apostle Paul come back to this again and again in second Corinthians, 00:02:31.460 --> 00:02:38.820 perhaps the clearest and most memorable instance of this is in chapter 12, verses 8 and 9, 00:02:38.900 --> 00:02:43.500 when he asked the Lord to take away the thorn in his flesh. 00:02:44.860 --> 00:02:45.540 And he says, 00:02:45.620 --> 00:02:49.040 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:51.420 But the Lord said to me, 00:02:51.819 --> 00:02:57.439 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:03.099 Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses that the power of Christ may rest on me. 00:03:04.340 --> 00:03:06.919 God's power and our weakness. 00:03:07.419 --> 00:03:09.199 That's what the book of second Corinthians is about. 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:11.919 And that's really what the Christian life is about. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:16.560 And so to kind of orient us to our study of second Corinthians, 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:21.879 I just want to give us two main pieces of background information. 00:03:21.879 --> 00:03:29.259 Kind of two mental hooks, if you will, that are necessary to frame our study of this book. 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:31.139 And the first is this. 00:03:32.379 --> 00:03:35.319 Reading second Corinthians is pretty complex. 00:03:35.859 --> 00:03:40.079 Because reading this letter is sort of like reading a pastor's email inbox. 00:03:40.859 --> 00:03:42.939 As you begin to read this letter, 00:03:42.939 --> 00:03:47.740 where you suddenly realize that you're in the middle of this ongoing correspondence 00:03:47.740 --> 00:03:53.819 between Paul and this church that has been taking place over multiple years. 00:03:54.699 --> 00:03:58.800 And so you suddenly realize that you're in the middle of this, you know, 00:03:58.859 --> 00:04:01.879 several years long communication, and you kind of have to put together the pieces. 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:08.419 So back in Acts chapter 18, Paul, in his second missionary journey, 00:04:08.500 --> 00:04:10.460 he comes to Corinth and he preaches the gospel. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:14.579 And people come to faith and he plants the first church there in Corinth. 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:19.000 And Acts 18 tells us that he stays there for about one and a half years. 00:04:19.939 --> 00:04:22.480 But then he moves on to Ephesus. 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:24.980 And when he moves on to Ephesus, 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:30.759 he hears a report about the church in Corinth that there was some conflict going on. 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:36.379 That some in the church were rejecting his teaching and challenging his authority. 00:04:37.819 --> 00:04:43.500 And so in response, he sends Timothy back to Corinth to address some of these problems. 00:04:43.779 --> 00:04:46.259 And that's when he writes the book of 1 Corinthians. 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:47.480 That's where we get 1 Corinthians. 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:53.199 And what we find out is that in between writing 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, 00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:56.719 it appears that the situation didn't get better. 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:58.980 In fact, it got worse. 00:04:58.980 --> 00:05:03.500 And so when Paul heard about this, he decides to change his travel plans 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:05.520 and to make an emergency visit back to Corinth. 00:05:06.819 --> 00:05:09.980 But this visit for Paul ended up being a very painful visit. 00:05:11.700 --> 00:05:13.720 Evidently, he was publicly attacked. 00:05:13.840 --> 00:05:17.160 He was humiliated by some in the church. 00:05:18.280 --> 00:05:22.200 And so rather than defend himself in the middle of being publicly attacked, 00:05:22.360 --> 00:05:25.759 he decides to actually just embrace the humiliation and to leave, 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:28.040 not wishing to cause further pain. 00:05:28.040 --> 00:05:30.280 So he leaves and returns back to Ephesus. 00:05:31.200 --> 00:05:33.700 And afterwards, he writes another letter. 00:05:33.900 --> 00:05:40.000 It's a letter that he describes in 2 Corinthians 2 as a letter that he writes out of much affliction, 00:05:41.080 --> 00:05:42.340 anguish, and tears. 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:49.580 Scholars normally refer to this letter as the sorrowful letter or the severe letter. 00:05:50.640 --> 00:05:53.340 Paul references this letter multiple times throughout the book of 2 Corinthians. 00:05:53.339 --> 00:05:58.000 And from what we can gather, it seems that overall the church responded well to this letter. 00:05:58.119 --> 00:06:02.619 Many had a change of heart, but there was still a minority who remained resistant. 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:07.779 And so to summarize, we have Paul's initial founding of the church in Acts 18. 00:06:07.779 --> 00:06:10.199 We have conflict. 00:06:11.019 --> 00:06:16.519 We have correspondence in response to this conflict, which includes the 1 Corinthians letter. 00:06:17.239 --> 00:06:19.459 We have Paul's painful visit. 00:06:19.579 --> 00:06:24.299 And then in response to that visit, we have more correspondence, which involves 2 Corinthians. 00:06:24.300 --> 00:06:26.000 And so this is kind of the backdrop. 00:06:26.819 --> 00:06:30.160 This is kind of the backdrop to what's going on in Paul's email inbox. 00:06:30.620 --> 00:06:36.300 And this is important to understand some of Paul's main goals, his main purposes in writing this letter. 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:40.699 And so this is the second kind of mental hook I want to give us as we think about 2 Corinthians. 00:06:40.699 --> 00:06:47.060 And it's that broadly speaking, broadly speaking, Paul has 4 main goals in this letter. 00:06:47.899 --> 00:06:51.620 And this covers 3 main sections of this letter. 00:06:52.519 --> 00:07:01.000 So in chapters 1 through 7, in chapters 1 through 7, Paul seeks to restore his relationship with the church 00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:06.719 to kind of do some relational repair and restoration and to defend the authenticity of his ministry. 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:10.460 So he's going to affirm his love for them and his commitment to them. 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:15.320 He's also going to answer some of those who challenge his authority. 00:07:16.400 --> 00:07:21.440 And then in chapter 8 and 9, he transitions to encouraging their partnership in the gospel through generosity. 00:07:22.340 --> 00:07:29.680 And so he's going to remind them of a previous commitment they had to give generously to other churches who are in need. 00:07:29.980 --> 00:07:31.100 That's chapters 8 and 9. 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:39.460 And then in chapters 10 through 13, he's going to conclude his letter by addressing and challenging the minority in the church who are still resistant. 00:07:40.100 --> 00:07:43.439 So he's going to lovingly confront those who still need to repent. 00:07:44.120 --> 00:07:45.340 And so that's kind of an overview. 00:07:45.580 --> 00:07:50.879 That's a bird's eye view of the flow of the book of 2 Corinthians. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:55.740 And so with that background in mind, with those kind of mental hooks in mind, 00:07:55.740 --> 00:08:00.100 let's turn our attention to chapter 1 as Paul begins his letter. 00:08:01.220 --> 00:08:04.879 In chapter 1, we see a couple of things. 00:08:04.960 --> 00:08:08.460 We see the central theme of God's power in our weakness. 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:12.939 And we see kind of two of his main goals start to come out. 00:08:13.340 --> 00:08:17.840 We see him seek to restore his relationship with the church and to defend his ministry. 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:23.299 And Paul does this primarily by talking about suffering. 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:25.719 He does it by talking about suffering. 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:37.579 The first half of chapter 1 that Brianna read earlier shows us that one of the primary ways that we experience God's power in our weakness is through suffering. 00:08:38.500 --> 00:08:42.000 All of us eventually face suffering in this life. 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:44.699 It's an inevitable part of being a human being. 00:08:44.700 --> 00:08:49.900 And when we face suffering, all of us go looking for comfort. 00:08:50.540 --> 00:08:54.240 We all go looking for comfort in all kinds of places. 00:08:55.340 --> 00:08:57.240 Some more healthier than others. 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:03.780 And Paul shows us here in 2 Corinthians 1 that our greatest comfort, 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:07.520 he shows us the greatest comfort that we can find in our suffering. 00:09:07.940 --> 00:09:12.820 And he also shows us the greatest comfort that we can offer others in their suffering. 00:09:12.820 --> 00:09:14.820 So that's what we're going to look at this morning. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:20.700 We're going to look at the comfort that we receive from God and the comfort that we share with others. 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:24.940 The comfort we receive from God and the comfort that we share with others. 00:09:25.460 --> 00:09:28.680 So first, the comfort that we receive from God. 00:09:29.980 --> 00:09:33.000 Paul begins the body of his letter in verse 3. 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:34.039 And he says, 00:09:34.039 --> 00:09:36.879 Blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:09:37.139 --> 00:09:40.120 the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:42.700 who comforts us in all our affliction. 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:48.980 Paul begins his letter by praising God for something that we see all throughout Scripture, 00:09:49.399 --> 00:09:53.419 starting in the Old Testament, that God is a God of comfort, 00:09:53.899 --> 00:09:55.320 that he comforts people in their suffering. 00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:58.879 Isaiah 51 says, 00:09:59.040 --> 00:10:01.040 For the Lord comforts Zion. 00:10:01.740 --> 00:10:04.560 He makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord. 00:10:05.640 --> 00:10:08.580 Famous Psalm, Psalm 23, about the Lord being our shepherd. 00:10:09.860 --> 00:10:10.400 It says, 00:10:10.520 --> 00:10:12.780 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 00:10:13.400 --> 00:10:15.820 I will fear no evil, for you are with me. 00:10:16.800 --> 00:10:18.900 Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 00:10:18.899 --> 00:10:23.579 And this is different from the pantheon of Greek and Roman gods 00:10:23.579 --> 00:10:26.840 that those in Corinth would have been familiar with, 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:29.899 who are more or less aloof to human pain and suffering. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:33.419 The first century Stoic philosopher, Pliny the Elder, 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:40.120 said the idea that a supreme being pays heed to human affairs 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:42.120 is a ridiculous notion. 00:10:42.740 --> 00:10:47.600 The idea that a God up there would pay attention to human suffering is ridiculous. 00:10:48.899 --> 00:10:53.360 But the God of the Bible has revealed himself as someone who is just the opposite. 00:10:53.579 --> 00:10:55.879 He hears the cries of his people. 00:10:56.980 --> 00:10:59.600 He is intimately acquainted with their suffering. 00:11:00.939 --> 00:11:03.199 God is a good father. 00:11:03.340 --> 00:11:07.039 He is a good shepherd who comforts his people. 00:11:08.100 --> 00:11:12.059 And the word that Paul uses for comfort here in this chapter 00:11:12.059 --> 00:11:15.240 shows us that the comfort that God provides 00:11:15.240 --> 00:11:19.360 isn't simply just to put us at ease or to make us feel better, 00:11:19.980 --> 00:11:22.879 but it's a comfort that encourages us 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:25.779 and strengthens us in the midst of our suffering. 00:11:26.919 --> 00:11:29.940 The 2 Corinthians scholar David Garland says this. 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:31.180 He says, 00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:32.959 The comfort that Paul has in mind 00:11:32.959 --> 00:11:37.639 is not some tranquilizing dose of grace that only dulls the pain, 00:11:38.099 --> 00:11:43.259 but a stiffening agent that fortifies one in heart, mind, and soul. 00:11:44.719 --> 00:11:47.819 God's comfort strengthens weak knees 00:11:47.819 --> 00:11:50.839 and sustains sagging spirits 00:11:50.839 --> 00:11:53.039 so that one faces the troubles of life 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:57.099 with unbending resolve and unending assurance. 00:11:57.100 --> 00:12:00.360 If you're here this morning 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:03.420 and you feel like you have weak knees, 00:12:04.420 --> 00:12:07.480 if you feel like you have a sagging spirit, 00:12:08.700 --> 00:12:11.580 the comfort of God is available to you. 00:12:11.980 --> 00:12:13.860 The comfort of God is available to you 00:12:13.860 --> 00:12:16.120 to strengthen you and to encourage you. 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:19.680 Paul also points out in verse 4 00:12:19.680 --> 00:12:23.320 that God comforts us in all our affliction, 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:24.399 in all our affliction. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:29.480 There is no suffering too big or too small 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:31.199 for the God of all comfort. 00:12:32.019 --> 00:12:34.659 Whether your suffering comes from your circumstances 00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:36.340 or from a relationship 00:12:36.340 --> 00:12:38.799 or from your own mind and body, 00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:41.379 God's comfort is available for all of it. 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:43.840 Whatever it is, 00:12:45.019 --> 00:12:45.939 He sees, 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:48.360 He knows, 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:50.539 He cares, 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:52.779 He loves you, 00:12:52.779 --> 00:12:54.600 He's with you. 00:12:56.259 --> 00:12:57.000 So how does, 00:12:57.839 --> 00:12:59.600 how does the comfort of God 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:01.699 flow into our lives? 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:04.559 How do we experience God's comfort? 00:13:05.220 --> 00:13:07.220 Paul tells us in verse 5, 00:13:07.259 --> 00:13:07.860 as he continues, 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:09.079 he says in verse 5, 00:13:09.939 --> 00:13:11.959 for as we share abundantly 00:13:11.959 --> 00:13:13.879 in Christ's sufferings, 00:13:14.659 --> 00:13:16.019 so through Christ 00:13:16.019 --> 00:13:18.419 we share abundantly in comfort too. 00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:21.360 What does it mean to share 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:23.159 in Christ's sufferings? 00:13:23.479 --> 00:13:25.039 This is kind of an interesting phrase. 00:13:26.319 --> 00:13:27.339 What does it mean to share 00:13:27.339 --> 00:13:28.860 in Christ's sufferings? 00:13:28.939 --> 00:13:29.659 Does it mean that 00:13:29.659 --> 00:13:31.479 somehow we contribute 00:13:31.479 --> 00:13:33.179 to Christ's sacrifice 00:13:33.179 --> 00:13:34.339 on the cross for our sins? 00:13:35.419 --> 00:13:36.559 Know that the rest of the Bible 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:37.379 is clear on that, 00:13:37.439 --> 00:13:38.779 that Christ suffered 00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:40.319 once and for all for sin, 00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:41.419 that His work on the cross 00:13:41.419 --> 00:13:42.519 is finished and complete. 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:44.720 Does it mean that 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:45.740 Christ somehow 00:13:45.740 --> 00:13:46.699 continues to suffer 00:13:46.699 --> 00:13:48.799 in His resurrected body, 00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:49.439 in His glory, 00:13:49.539 --> 00:13:50.039 in His ascension? 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:52.699 I don't think we can say that either. 00:13:52.819 --> 00:13:54.539 Christ conquered suffering and death 00:13:54.539 --> 00:13:55.220 in His resurrection. 00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:57.439 So what does it mean? 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:01.340 It means that for believers in Christ, 00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:02.539 all suffering 00:14:02.539 --> 00:14:04.519 is a way to experience 00:14:05.059 --> 00:14:06.240 communion with God 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:07.519 because God Himself 00:14:08.179 --> 00:14:09.159 has suffered. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.079 This is an important 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:12.560 aspect of our 00:14:12.560 --> 00:14:15.139 union with Christ. 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:17.759 In a little bit, 00:14:17.820 --> 00:14:19.400 we're going to celebrate baptism. 00:14:20.259 --> 00:14:21.800 And baptism is all about 00:14:21.800 --> 00:14:22.720 union with Christ, 00:14:22.820 --> 00:14:23.639 that by faith, 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:24.980 we're united to Jesus 00:14:24.980 --> 00:14:25.700 in His life, 00:14:25.780 --> 00:14:26.300 in His death, 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:26.980 in His resurrection, 00:14:27.580 --> 00:14:29.080 such that all that is His 00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:30.100 becomes ours. 00:14:31.400 --> 00:14:32.460 We see this language 00:14:32.460 --> 00:14:33.300 of union with Christ 00:14:33.300 --> 00:14:35.040 all over the New Testament. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:35.520 You were, 00:14:35.680 --> 00:14:36.680 you died, 00:14:36.680 --> 00:14:37.680 you were buried, 00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:38.700 you were raised, 00:14:38.900 --> 00:14:39.700 you're hidden with Him, 00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:41.120 you're seeded with Him, 00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:42.360 you have His righteousness, 00:14:42.540 --> 00:14:43.500 you have His inheritance. 00:14:45.280 --> 00:14:46.140 Union with Christ 00:14:46.140 --> 00:14:47.420 means sharing in the 00:14:47.420 --> 00:14:48.640 privileges and benefits 00:14:48.640 --> 00:14:49.720 and status of Jesus. 00:14:51.780 --> 00:14:52.980 And it also means 00:14:52.980 --> 00:14:53.920 that we share 00:14:53.920 --> 00:14:54.900 in His suffering. 00:14:56.220 --> 00:14:56.860 In another place 00:14:56.860 --> 00:14:57.640 in Romans chapter 8, 00:14:57.720 --> 00:14:58.480 Paul says this, 00:14:58.560 --> 00:14:59.960 that the Spirit Himself 00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:00.560 bears witness 00:15:00.560 --> 00:15:01.180 with our spirit 00:15:01.180 --> 00:15:02.720 that we are fellow heirs 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:03.280 with Christ. 00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:05.879 That's union with Christ's language. 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:07.679 But then he says this, 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:10.419 provided we suffer with Him 00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:12.399 in order that we may 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:14.279 also be glorified with Him. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:16.100 Union with Christ 00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:17.200 means both glory 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:18.879 and suffering. 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:21.379 And this is important 00:15:21.379 --> 00:15:22.200 as we think back 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:23.360 to what we said earlier 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:24.559 about the background 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:25.740 of what's going on 00:15:25.740 --> 00:15:27.620 in the 2 Corinthians church, 00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:28.340 about the conflict 00:15:28.340 --> 00:15:29.419 that's taking place, 00:15:29.460 --> 00:15:31.100 that there were some people 00:15:31.100 --> 00:15:32.639 who sought to discredit 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:33.620 Paul's authority 00:15:33.620 --> 00:15:34.440 in his teaching 00:15:34.440 --> 00:15:36.940 by pointing to all the trials 00:15:36.940 --> 00:15:37.800 and difficulties 00:15:37.800 --> 00:15:38.960 that he faced, 00:15:39.160 --> 00:15:42.760 like being put on trial, 00:15:42.860 --> 00:15:43.620 being put in prison, 00:15:43.760 --> 00:15:44.480 being persecuted, 00:15:44.920 --> 00:15:46.000 all the suffering 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:46.500 that he faced. 00:15:46.740 --> 00:15:47.540 They said that, 00:15:48.020 --> 00:15:48.280 he said, 00:15:48.340 --> 00:15:49.860 well, that invalidates 00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:50.540 Paul's ministry. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.500 That discredits 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.060 his ministry. 00:15:52.660 --> 00:15:54.000 How could an apostle 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:54.860 from God 00:15:54.860 --> 00:15:56.420 experience what looks 00:15:56.420 --> 00:15:57.520 like weakness, 00:15:58.420 --> 00:15:59.480 what looks like failure? 00:16:00.900 --> 00:16:02.060 And so to answer 00:16:02.060 --> 00:16:03.400 these critics, 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:04.539 he actually says, 00:16:04.620 --> 00:16:05.480 no, it's just 00:16:05.480 --> 00:16:06.240 the complete opposite. 00:16:07.579 --> 00:16:08.980 He says that his suffering 00:16:08.980 --> 00:16:10.360 authenticates his ministry. 00:16:10.659 --> 00:16:11.899 His suffering validates 00:16:11.899 --> 00:16:12.679 his ministry 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:13.679 because it confirms 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:15.220 his closeness with Jesus. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:17.039 And this is something 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:18.340 that he comes back to 00:16:18.340 --> 00:16:19.860 again and again 00:16:19.860 --> 00:16:21.079 throughout the letter. 00:16:21.959 --> 00:16:22.559 What's true 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:23.379 of the apostle Paul 00:16:23.379 --> 00:16:25.199 is true of all Christians, 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:26.240 that anyone who seeks 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:27.579 to follow Jesus 00:16:27.579 --> 00:16:29.379 will suffer. 00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:30.899 As we follow 00:16:30.899 --> 00:16:31.720 in his footsteps, 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:34.060 just as Christ's 00:16:34.060 --> 00:16:34.759 sufferings brought 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:35.920 healing and redemption 00:16:35.920 --> 00:16:36.519 to the world, 00:16:37.259 --> 00:16:38.460 as we follow him 00:16:38.460 --> 00:16:40.660 and continue his life 00:16:40.660 --> 00:16:41.440 in his ministry 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:42.320 by the power of the Spirit, 00:16:42.940 --> 00:16:43.560 his sufferings 00:16:43.560 --> 00:16:44.639 will flow into our lives. 00:16:46.259 --> 00:16:47.480 But the good news, 00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:49.580 Paul says here 00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:50.360 in 2 Corinthians 1, 00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:51.220 that as we share 00:16:51.220 --> 00:16:51.759 in his sufferings, 00:16:51.800 --> 00:16:52.620 we also share 00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:53.340 in his comfort. 00:16:54.300 --> 00:16:55.320 The great comfort 00:16:55.320 --> 00:16:55.960 that we have 00:16:55.960 --> 00:16:56.940 in Jesus 00:16:56.940 --> 00:16:57.379 is this, 00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:58.220 that all suffering, 00:16:58.360 --> 00:16:59.500 whether big or small, 00:16:59.500 --> 00:17:00.679 is an opportunity 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:02.080 for deeper intimacy, 00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:03.000 for deeper communion 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:04.240 with Christ. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:06.519 This is because 00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:08.319 he knows firsthand 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:09.500 what it's like 00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:10.160 to go through it. 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:12.240 Isaiah 53 says 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:13.440 that he was despised 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:14.940 and rejected by men, 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:16.960 that he was a man 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:17.660 of sorrows 00:17:17.660 --> 00:17:18.339 and acquainted 00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:19.480 with grief. 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:21.579 For a Christian, 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:22.259 all suffering 00:17:22.259 --> 00:17:23.059 is fellowship 00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:25.460 with a man of sorrows. 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:26.099 All suffering 00:17:26.099 --> 00:17:26.640 is fellowship 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:27.220 with the one 00:17:27.220 --> 00:17:28.220 who was acquainted 00:17:28.220 --> 00:17:28.740 with grief. 00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:31.799 Have you ever 00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:32.380 experienced 00:17:32.380 --> 00:17:33.160 physical pain? 00:17:34.779 --> 00:17:35.700 So has Jesus. 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:37.460 Have you ever 00:17:37.460 --> 00:17:38.000 experienced 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:38.700 deep agony 00:17:38.700 --> 00:17:39.400 in your soul? 00:17:40.819 --> 00:17:41.779 So has Jesus. 00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:43.079 Have you ever 00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:44.240 been wounded 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:45.559 by other people? 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:47.720 So has Jesus. 00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:49.160 Have you ever 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:50.940 experienced injustice? 00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:51.480 Have you ever 00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:52.220 been betrayed? 00:17:52.380 --> 00:17:52.660 Have you ever 00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:53.180 been lonely? 00:17:55.180 --> 00:17:56.180 So has Jesus. 00:17:56.180 --> 00:17:57.720 Have you ever 00:17:57.720 --> 00:17:58.539 been overwhelmed 00:17:58.539 --> 00:18:00.200 with sadness 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:01.519 and grief? 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:04.920 So is Jesus. 00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:06.720 All suffering 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.539 is fellowship 00:18:07.539 --> 00:18:08.240 with a man 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:09.519 of sorrows. 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:11.820 John Lennox, 00:18:12.019 --> 00:18:12.900 who's a professor 00:18:12.900 --> 00:18:13.580 of mathematics 00:18:13.580 --> 00:18:14.560 at the University 00:18:14.560 --> 00:18:15.140 of Oxford, 00:18:15.900 --> 00:18:17.900 tells the story 00:18:17.900 --> 00:18:18.779 of when he was 00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:19.980 traveling in 00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:20.580 Eastern Europe 00:18:20.580 --> 00:18:21.400 and one time 00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:22.759 he decided 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:24.460 to do some 00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:25.019 sightseeing 00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:25.519 and visit 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.099 an old synagogue. 00:18:27.859 --> 00:18:28.319 He joined 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:28.720 a tour 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:29.200 of the synagogue 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:29.839 with some 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:30.500 other visitors 00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:31.000 there and 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:31.720 he struck 00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:33.000 up a conversation 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:33.599 with a woman 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:34.799 who said 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:35.200 that she was 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:35.779 there to 00:18:35.779 --> 00:18:36.960 find out 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:37.420 more about 00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:38.099 her family 00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:38.900 who had 00:18:38.900 --> 00:18:39.460 lived in 00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:39.960 Eastern Europe 00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:40.859 during World War II 00:18:40.859 --> 00:18:41.400 and during 00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:41.740 the Holocaust. 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:43.839 And eventually 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:44.420 the tour 00:18:44.420 --> 00:18:45.220 came to 00:18:45.220 --> 00:18:45.700 the place 00:18:45.700 --> 00:18:46.359 in the synagogue 00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:47.039 that had 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:47.460 pictures 00:18:47.460 --> 00:18:49.139 from World War II 00:18:49.139 --> 00:18:49.579 and from the 00:18:49.579 --> 00:18:49.879 Holocaust 00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:50.940 and one 00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:51.100 of the 00:18:51.100 --> 00:18:51.420 pictures 00:18:51.420 --> 00:18:53.080 of the 00:18:53.080 --> 00:18:54.180 main gate 00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:54.820 one of the 00:18:54.820 --> 00:18:54.980 pictures 00:18:54.980 --> 00:18:55.380 was of the 00:18:55.380 --> 00:18:55.920 main gate 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:56.220 of the 00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:56.640 concentration 00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:57.120 camp 00:18:57.120 --> 00:18:58.200 in Auschwitz. 00:18:59.840 --> 00:19:00.600 And John 00:19:00.600 --> 00:19:01.520 says that his 00:19:01.520 --> 00:19:02.340 new friend 00:19:02.340 --> 00:19:02.960 pointed to the 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:03.220 gate 00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:04.560 and said 00:19:04.560 --> 00:19:06.400 and what 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:06.720 does your 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:07.340 religion make 00:19:07.340 --> 00:19:07.800 of this? 00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:10.600 And Lennox 00:19:10.600 --> 00:19:11.260 said at first 00:19:11.260 --> 00:19:11.740 that he was 00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:12.200 speechless. 00:19:14.560 --> 00:19:15.720 What was he 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:16.040 to say? 00:19:16.140 --> 00:19:16.620 What could 00:19:16.620 --> 00:19:17.060 he say? 00:19:17.120 --> 00:19:17.400 What do you 00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:17.920 say in that 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:18.240 moment 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:19.019 when you're 00:19:19.019 --> 00:19:19.320 asked a 00:19:19.320 --> 00:19:19.779 question like 00:19:19.779 --> 00:19:20.039 that? 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:21.460 But he 00:19:21.460 --> 00:19:22.120 says still 00:19:22.120 --> 00:19:22.840 she stood 00:19:22.840 --> 00:19:23.120 in the 00:19:23.120 --> 00:19:23.360 doorway 00:19:23.360 --> 00:19:23.860 patiently 00:19:23.860 --> 00:19:24.200 waiting 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:24.460 for an 00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:24.640 answer. 00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:26.519 And this 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:26.840 is what he 00:19:26.840 --> 00:19:27.120 eventually 00:19:27.120 --> 00:19:27.480 said. 00:19:28.460 --> 00:19:28.980 He said 00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:29.200 I would 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:29.840 not insult 00:19:29.840 --> 00:19:30.240 the memory 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:30.480 of your 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:30.880 parents 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:32.640 by offering 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:33.160 simplistic 00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:33.680 answers 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:34.259 to your 00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:34.600 question. 00:19:35.900 --> 00:19:36.460 I have 00:19:36.460 --> 00:19:37.039 no easy 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:38.160 answers. 00:19:38.840 --> 00:19:39.320 But what 00:19:39.320 --> 00:19:39.880 I do have 00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:40.279 for me at 00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:40.800 least is a 00:19:40.800 --> 00:19:41.519 doorway into 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:41.960 an answer. 00:19:43.340 --> 00:19:43.900 She said 00:19:43.900 --> 00:19:44.200 well what 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:44.500 is it? 00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:46.080 And Lennox 00:19:46.080 --> 00:19:46.440 responded 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:46.920 well you know 00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:47.259 that I'm a 00:19:47.259 --> 00:19:47.720 Christian which 00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:48.240 means that I 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:49.259 believe that 00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:50.059 Jesus is the 00:19:50.059 --> 00:19:50.380 Messiah. 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:52.079 I also 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:52.600 believe that he 00:19:52.600 --> 00:19:53.079 was God 00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:53.880 incarnate come 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:54.220 into our 00:19:54.220 --> 00:19:54.740 world as a 00:19:54.740 --> 00:19:54.980 savior. 00:19:56.259 --> 00:19:57.200 Now I know 00:19:57.200 --> 00:19:57.740 that you don't 00:19:57.740 --> 00:19:58.360 agree with me 00:19:58.360 --> 00:19:58.920 on this but 00:19:58.920 --> 00:19:59.440 think about this 00:19:59.440 --> 00:19:59.799 question. 00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:02.000 If Jesus 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:02.700 really was 00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:04.839 God what 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:05.440 was God 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:06.559 doing on 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:07.019 a cross? 00:20:08.360 --> 00:20:09.160 If Jesus 00:20:09.160 --> 00:20:09.880 really was 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:11.220 God what 00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:11.700 was God 00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:12.740 doing on 00:20:12.740 --> 00:20:13.220 a cross? 00:20:13.860 --> 00:20:14.120 And the 00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:14.600 woman was 00:20:14.600 --> 00:20:15.299 silent. 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:15.860 She stood 00:20:15.860 --> 00:20:16.640 there motionless. 00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:18.579 And after 00:20:18.579 --> 00:20:19.039 a moment 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:20.319 with tears 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:20.600 in her 00:20:20.600 --> 00:20:21.019 eyes she 00:20:21.019 --> 00:20:21.759 said quietly 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:22.400 but audibly 00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:24.440 why has 00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:24.980 no one ever 00:20:24.980 --> 00:20:25.539 told me this 00:20:25.539 --> 00:20:25.880 about the 00:20:25.880 --> 00:20:26.640 Messiah before? 00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:28.940 The cross 00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:29.440 of Jesus 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:30.120 shows us 00:20:30.120 --> 00:20:31.200 something really 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:31.920 important even 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:32.860 though this 00:20:32.860 --> 00:20:33.900 side of heaven 00:20:33.900 --> 00:20:34.700 suffering often 00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:36.100 remains a 00:20:36.100 --> 00:20:36.680 great mystery 00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:37.240 to us. 00:20:37.600 --> 00:20:38.380 We may never 00:20:38.380 --> 00:20:38.920 get an answer 00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:40.759 to why God 00:20:40.759 --> 00:20:41.460 doesn't stop 00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:42.559 this or that 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:43.079 from happening. 00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:44.879 but in the 00:20:44.879 --> 00:20:45.519 cross we can 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:46.099 still find 00:20:46.099 --> 00:20:46.939 great comfort 00:20:46.939 --> 00:20:48.299 in knowing 00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:49.139 what the 00:20:49.139 --> 00:20:49.519 answer is 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:49.859 not. 00:20:51.679 --> 00:20:52.379 It's not 00:20:52.379 --> 00:20:52.939 because God 00:20:52.939 --> 00:20:53.480 is angry 00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:53.879 with us 00:20:53.879 --> 00:20:54.319 for sin. 00:20:55.500 --> 00:20:56.220 Look at the 00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:56.579 cross. 00:20:57.659 --> 00:20:58.159 The cross 00:20:58.159 --> 00:20:58.679 is the 00:20:58.679 --> 00:20:59.419 objective 00:20:59.419 --> 00:20:59.980 evidence that 00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:00.639 all of God's 00:21:00.639 --> 00:21:01.099 anger and 00:21:01.099 --> 00:21:01.659 wrath for sin 00:21:01.659 --> 00:21:01.980 has been 00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:02.460 poured out 00:21:02.460 --> 00:21:02.919 on Jesus 00:21:02.919 --> 00:21:04.000 and there's 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.439 none left 00:21:04.439 --> 00:21:04.839 for you and 00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:04.980 I. 00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:06.919 It's not 00:21:06.919 --> 00:21:07.399 because God 00:21:07.399 --> 00:21:07.859 has abandoned 00:21:07.859 --> 00:21:08.279 us. 00:21:09.419 --> 00:21:09.819 Look at the 00:21:09.819 --> 00:21:10.179 cross. 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:11.700 on the 00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:12.180 cross Jesus 00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:13.100 was forsaken 00:21:13.100 --> 00:21:13.480 by the 00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:14.820 father so 00:21:14.820 --> 00:21:15.080 that you 00:21:15.080 --> 00:21:15.320 and I 00:21:15.320 --> 00:21:15.759 can know 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:16.320 that we 00:21:16.320 --> 00:21:16.680 would never 00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.299 be forsaken. 00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:20.039 It's not 00:21:20.039 --> 00:21:20.680 because God 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:21.460 doesn't love 00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:21.720 us. 00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:22.980 Look at the 00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:23.400 cross. 00:21:24.080 --> 00:21:24.720 The cross 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:25.060 is the 00:21:25.060 --> 00:21:25.519 objective 00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:26.019 evidence. 00:21:26.180 --> 00:21:26.400 It's the 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:26.680 greatest 00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:27.299 demonstration 00:21:27.299 --> 00:21:28.039 of God's 00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:29.120 love for 00:21:29.120 --> 00:21:29.380 us. 00:21:30.460 --> 00:21:31.100 And it's 00:21:31.100 --> 00:21:31.779 not because 00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:32.920 suffering will 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:33.640 one day win 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:34.160 because for 00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:34.660 Jesus the 00:21:34.660 --> 00:21:35.880 cross wasn't 00:21:35.880 --> 00:21:36.299 the end of 00:21:36.299 --> 00:21:36.660 the story. 00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:37.240 The resurrection 00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:37.820 is. 00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:38.799 And union 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:39.220 with him 00:21:39.220 --> 00:21:39.660 means the 00:21:39.660 --> 00:21:40.039 same as 00:21:40.039 --> 00:21:40.839 true for 00:21:40.839 --> 00:21:41.220 us that 00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:41.599 no matter 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:43.539 what your 00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:44.279 story is 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:45.399 headed towards 00:21:45.399 --> 00:21:45.859 resurrection. 00:21:47.700 --> 00:21:48.539 Suffering and 00:21:48.539 --> 00:21:49.339 sadness and 00:21:49.339 --> 00:21:51.420 grief doesn't 00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:51.899 get the last 00:21:51.899 --> 00:21:52.420 word in your 00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:52.759 story. 00:21:53.639 --> 00:21:54.279 Jesus does. 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:56.379 Anxiety and 00:21:56.379 --> 00:21:56.940 depression don't 00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:57.460 get the last 00:21:57.460 --> 00:21:58.000 word in your 00:21:58.000 --> 00:21:58.319 story. 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:00.440 Jesus does. 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:02.539 Cancer doesn't 00:22:02.539 --> 00:22:03.039 get the last 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:03.279 word. 00:22:03.420 --> 00:22:03.920 Death doesn't 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:04.379 get the last 00:22:04.379 --> 00:22:04.819 word in your 00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:05.139 story. 00:22:06.460 --> 00:22:07.859 Jesus does 00:22:07.859 --> 00:22:09.059 and he is 00:22:09.059 --> 00:22:09.740 making all 00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:10.240 things new. 00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:10.519 And what 00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:11.019 that means is 00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:11.279 that no 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:11.799 matter what 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:12.480 your story 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:13.000 is headed 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:14.059 towards 00:22:14.059 --> 00:22:14.559 resurrection. 00:22:16.420 --> 00:22:17.059 If we 00:22:17.059 --> 00:22:17.660 share in 00:22:17.660 --> 00:22:17.859 his 00:22:17.859 --> 00:22:18.420 sufferings, 00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:19.880 we share 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:20.359 with him, 00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:21.539 we share 00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:21.799 in his 00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:22.079 glory. 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:23.440 And this 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:23.700 is the 00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:24.140 comfort that 00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:24.680 strengthens 00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:25.519 our weak 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.279 needs and 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:27.160 sustains our 00:22:27.160 --> 00:22:27.700 sagging 00:22:27.700 --> 00:22:28.839 spirits. 00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:30.039 The weakness 00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:30.440 of our 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:31.460 suffering is 00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:31.900 not an 00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:32.420 obstacle, 00:22:33.460 --> 00:22:33.980 it's not a 00:22:33.980 --> 00:22:35.220 hurdle to 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:36.000 experiencing the 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:36.420 power and 00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:36.960 presence of 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:37.880 God in 00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:38.259 our life. 00:22:38.360 --> 00:22:38.779 It may, 00:22:38.980 --> 00:22:39.279 in fact, 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:40.200 be the 00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:40.579 vehicle. 00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:42.720 Because we 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:43.460 have a 00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:44.640 God who 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:45.420 is present 00:22:45.420 --> 00:22:46.759 and powerful 00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:47.819 on the 00:22:47.819 --> 00:22:48.180 cross. 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:49.860 And if 00:22:49.860 --> 00:22:50.279 God was 00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:50.940 present and 00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:51.600 powerful on 00:22:51.600 --> 00:22:52.140 the cross, 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:53.519 then he 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:53.799 can be 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:54.860 present and 00:22:54.860 --> 00:22:56.279 powerful in 00:22:56.279 --> 00:22:56.920 your suffering 00:22:56.920 --> 00:22:57.460 and in your 00:22:57.460 --> 00:22:57.860 weakness. 00:22:58.840 --> 00:22:59.539 So that's the 00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:00.920 comfort that we 00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:01.440 receive from 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:01.680 God. 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:03.640 Secondly, 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.100 the comfort 00:23:04.100 --> 00:23:04.380 that we 00:23:04.380 --> 00:23:05.080 share with 00:23:05.080 --> 00:23:05.500 others. 00:23:06.380 --> 00:23:06.960 In the next 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.460 few verses, 00:23:07.660 --> 00:23:08.860 Paul shows 00:23:08.860 --> 00:23:09.420 us that this 00:23:09.420 --> 00:23:09.860 comfort that 00:23:09.860 --> 00:23:10.880 we receive by 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:11.480 sharing in the 00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:11.820 fellowship, 00:23:12.500 --> 00:23:13.120 the sufferings of 00:23:13.120 --> 00:23:13.440 Christ, 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.140 isn't meant to 00:23:15.140 --> 00:23:15.860 stop with us. 00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:17.740 In verse 6, 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:18.120 he says, 00:23:18.600 --> 00:23:19.160 if we are 00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:19.720 comforted, 00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:21.400 it is for 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:22.019 your comfort. 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:23.519 Verse 7, 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:24.700 if you share 00:23:24.700 --> 00:23:25.080 in our 00:23:25.080 --> 00:23:25.660 sufferings, 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:27.019 you will also 00:23:27.019 --> 00:23:27.560 share in our 00:23:27.560 --> 00:23:27.840 comfort. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:29.660 Because we're 00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:30.560 united to Jesus 00:23:30.560 --> 00:23:31.240 and because we're 00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:31.940 united to one 00:23:31.940 --> 00:23:33.799 another by his 00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:35.839 spirit, not only 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:36.640 do we share in 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:38.259 his suffering and 00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:38.839 comfort, but we 00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:39.480 share in one 00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:40.799 another's suffering 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:41.500 and comfort. 00:23:42.900 --> 00:23:43.819 In the next few 00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:44.319 verses, Paul 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:45.779 actually puts this 00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:46.720 on display for 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:46.880 us. 00:23:46.920 --> 00:23:47.720 He actually shows 00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:48.880 what this looks 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:49.200 like. 00:23:49.880 --> 00:23:50.799 He models what 00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:51.440 he teaches by 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.120 giving us an 00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:52.839 example from his 00:23:52.839 --> 00:23:53.640 own life that he 00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:54.859 hopes will be a 00:23:54.859 --> 00:23:55.559 source of comfort 00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:56.140 to the Corinthians. 00:23:57.420 --> 00:23:58.259 In verse 8, 00:23:59.279 --> 00:23:59.599 he says, 00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:00.160 for we do not 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:00.680 want you to be 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:01.380 unaware, brothers, 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:03.000 of the affliction 00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:03.880 that we experienced 00:24:03.880 --> 00:24:04.340 in Asia. 00:24:05.240 --> 00:24:05.840 For we were so 00:24:05.840 --> 00:24:06.640 utterly burdened 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:07.160 beyond our 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:07.700 strength that we 00:24:07.700 --> 00:24:08.259 despaired of 00:24:08.259 --> 00:24:09.400 life itself. 00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:11.000 Indeed, we felt 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:11.400 that we had 00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:12.080 received the 00:24:12.080 --> 00:24:13.259 sentence of 00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:13.580 death. 00:24:14.539 --> 00:24:15.500 We don't know 00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:17.279 specifically the 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:18.060 circumstances that 00:24:18.060 --> 00:24:18.799 Paul is referring 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:19.420 to, but whatever 00:24:19.420 --> 00:24:21.019 they were, they 00:24:21.019 --> 00:24:21.500 were dire. 00:24:23.019 --> 00:24:24.060 He despaired even 00:24:24.060 --> 00:24:24.480 of life. 00:24:24.560 --> 00:24:25.259 For Paul, it was 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:26.220 a place of 00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:27.100 extreme weakness. 00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:28.700 But then he 00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:29.460 says in verse 9, 00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:30.559 but that was to 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:31.420 make us rely not 00:24:31.420 --> 00:24:32.799 on ourselves, but 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:33.480 on God who 00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:34.799 raises the dead. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:35.460 He delivered us 00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:35.880 from such a 00:24:35.880 --> 00:24:37.460 deadly peril, and 00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:37.920 he will deliver 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:38.279 us. 00:24:38.740 --> 00:24:39.580 On him we have 00:24:39.580 --> 00:24:40.920 set our hope that 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:41.779 he will deliver us 00:24:41.779 --> 00:24:42.220 again. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:45.120 Paul says it 00:24:45.120 --> 00:24:45.819 was in a place of 00:24:45.819 --> 00:24:46.660 extreme weakness 00:24:46.660 --> 00:24:48.700 that I experienced 00:24:48.700 --> 00:24:49.460 the power of God. 00:24:50.740 --> 00:24:51.980 As an apostle, I'm 00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:53.200 tempted to rely on 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:53.960 my own strength, 00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:54.799 my own giftings, 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:55.600 my own ingenuity, 00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:57.439 but that's not 00:24:57.439 --> 00:24:58.459 where true power 00:24:58.459 --> 00:24:58.779 lies. 00:24:58.919 --> 00:25:00.219 It lies in the 00:25:00.219 --> 00:25:00.980 God who raises 00:25:00.980 --> 00:25:02.179 the dead. 00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:03.779 In a place of 00:25:03.779 --> 00:25:04.539 great weakness, 00:25:05.539 --> 00:25:06.179 Paul experienced 00:25:06.179 --> 00:25:07.339 deep trust and 00:25:07.339 --> 00:25:08.019 confidence in the 00:25:08.019 --> 00:25:08.240 Lord. 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.019 And just like 00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:12.559 Paul here in 00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:13.419 2 Corinthians 1, 00:25:15.099 --> 00:25:16.819 God often uses 00:25:16.819 --> 00:25:18.879 the difficult 00:25:18.879 --> 00:25:19.639 things in our 00:25:19.639 --> 00:25:22.279 lives to be a 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:23.240 place of ministry 00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.019 for others. 00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:26.000 He often uses 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:27.379 the difficulty in 00:25:27.379 --> 00:25:29.359 our lives to be 00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:30.500 a means of 00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:31.220 ministry for other 00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:31.500 people. 00:25:32.740 --> 00:25:33.579 I love the way 00:25:33.579 --> 00:25:34.200 my friend Victor 00:25:34.200 --> 00:25:35.059 Sheldon puts it. 00:25:36.379 --> 00:25:37.079 He says that 00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:38.559 God's purpose in 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:39.680 our lives, in 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:40.559 all of our lives, 00:25:40.920 --> 00:25:42.000 is that we would 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:42.680 become wounded 00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:43.220 healers. 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:45.400 God's purpose in 00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:46.000 our lives is that 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:46.599 we would become 00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:48.339 wounded healers. 00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:48.920 You know, one of 00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:50.579 the hallmarks of 00:25:50.579 --> 00:25:51.299 the Healthy Church 00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:51.920 is that it's a 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:53.879 place where people 00:25:53.880 --> 00:25:54.500 who are suffering 00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.040 can come and 00:25:55.040 --> 00:25:55.940 experience comfort 00:25:55.940 --> 00:25:56.740 and healing. 00:25:57.800 --> 00:25:59.020 Because people in 00:25:59.020 --> 00:25:59.660 that church have 00:25:59.660 --> 00:26:01.160 learned what it 00:26:01.160 --> 00:26:01.880 is to be a 00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:03.100 wounded healer. 00:26:05.040 --> 00:26:05.800 How do you 00:26:05.800 --> 00:26:06.740 become a wounded 00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:07.080 healer? 00:26:07.380 --> 00:26:08.200 How do you 00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:10.280 allow the 00:26:10.280 --> 00:26:11.920 difficulty in your 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:12.600 life to be a 00:26:12.600 --> 00:26:13.320 place of ministry 00:26:13.320 --> 00:26:14.000 for others? 00:26:14.860 --> 00:26:15.480 How do you do 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:15.680 that? 00:26:17.320 --> 00:26:18.140 There's a lot that 00:26:18.140 --> 00:26:18.920 we could say in 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:19.560 our time this 00:26:19.560 --> 00:26:20.160 morning, but I 00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:21.220 want to offer, I 00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:22.620 want to suggest a 00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:23.299 few reflections 00:26:23.299 --> 00:26:25.779 here from this 00:26:25.779 --> 00:26:26.500 text in 2 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:27.059 Corinthians 1 00:26:27.059 --> 00:26:28.379 about what it 00:26:28.379 --> 00:26:29.500 looks like to be 00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:30.199 a wounded healer. 00:26:30.619 --> 00:26:31.339 And the first is 00:26:31.339 --> 00:26:31.679 this. 00:26:32.779 --> 00:26:33.699 The first is that 00:26:33.699 --> 00:26:34.619 you can't give 00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:35.719 what you haven't 00:26:35.719 --> 00:26:36.000 received. 00:26:36.739 --> 00:26:37.859 You can't give 00:26:37.859 --> 00:26:38.359 what you haven't 00:26:38.359 --> 00:26:38.779 received. 00:26:39.479 --> 00:26:40.479 If this morning, 00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:42.559 if you're in the 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:44.299 place of experiencing 00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:45.679 some difficulty in 00:26:45.679 --> 00:26:47.819 your life, your 00:26:47.819 --> 00:26:49.000 primary job is 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:50.139 probably just to 00:26:50.140 --> 00:26:50.540 receive. 00:26:51.560 --> 00:26:52.380 Just to receive. 00:26:52.620 --> 00:26:54.040 Before your 00:26:54.040 --> 00:26:54.600 suffering can 00:26:54.600 --> 00:26:55.140 become a place 00:26:55.140 --> 00:26:55.820 of ministry, you 00:26:55.820 --> 00:26:57.420 must first receive 00:26:57.420 --> 00:26:58.040 the ministry of 00:26:58.040 --> 00:27:00.060 the church for 00:27:00.060 --> 00:27:00.740 however long it 00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:01.060 takes. 00:27:02.060 --> 00:27:03.120 God knows the 00:27:03.120 --> 00:27:04.520 timeline of your 00:27:04.520 --> 00:27:05.400 healing process, and 00:27:05.400 --> 00:27:06.280 he's not expecting 00:27:06.280 --> 00:27:06.880 you to rush it. 00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:07.560 He's not expecting 00:27:07.560 --> 00:27:09.120 you to skip steps. 00:27:11.060 --> 00:27:12.060 Maybe your job is 00:27:12.060 --> 00:27:12.620 to simply just 00:27:12.620 --> 00:27:13.280 receive the 00:27:13.280 --> 00:27:13.780 ministry of the 00:27:13.780 --> 00:27:14.060 church. 00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:15.840 And if you're 00:27:15.840 --> 00:27:16.480 here this morning, 00:27:17.320 --> 00:27:18.820 and you are in a 00:27:18.820 --> 00:27:19.440 place of difficulty, 00:27:19.520 --> 00:27:19.960 you're suffering, 00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:21.600 I want you to 00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:22.460 know that your 00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:23.180 suffering is not a 00:27:23.180 --> 00:27:23.400 burden. 00:27:24.900 --> 00:27:25.520 It's not a 00:27:25.520 --> 00:27:25.720 burden. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:27.000 I know that in 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:27.700 times of difficulty 00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:28.500 in my life, sometimes 00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:30.160 I feel like the 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:30.700 hardship that I'm 00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:31.120 going through is 00:27:31.120 --> 00:27:31.780 somehow a burden to 00:27:31.780 --> 00:27:32.420 other people, but 00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:33.080 it's not. 00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:33.980 There are people 00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:34.480 here who would 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:35.920 love to walk 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:36.940 alongside you and 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:37.660 pray with you. 00:27:37.860 --> 00:27:38.500 They would consider 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:39.360 it a privilege to 00:27:39.360 --> 00:27:39.920 sit with you and 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:41.120 listen to you and 00:27:41.120 --> 00:27:41.780 hear your story. 00:27:42.860 --> 00:27:43.640 And it's not just 00:27:43.640 --> 00:27:44.300 because people here 00:27:44.300 --> 00:27:44.980 are nice, although 00:27:44.980 --> 00:27:45.980 we have some nice 00:27:45.980 --> 00:27:46.320 people in our 00:27:46.320 --> 00:27:46.580 church. 00:27:47.040 --> 00:27:47.780 It goes deeper 00:27:47.780 --> 00:27:48.140 than that. 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:49.300 This is true because 00:27:49.300 --> 00:27:49.860 what we've seen 00:27:49.859 --> 00:27:50.819 here in this 00:27:50.819 --> 00:27:51.359 text is that our 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:52.319 suffering brings us 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:53.039 in fellowship with 00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:54.019 Christ and it 00:27:54.019 --> 00:27:54.539 brings us in 00:27:54.539 --> 00:27:55.099 fellowship with one 00:27:55.099 --> 00:27:55.339 another. 00:27:56.919 --> 00:27:58.039 For those of us who 00:27:58.039 --> 00:27:59.719 maybe are more in a 00:27:59.719 --> 00:28:00.839 position to offer 00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:03.419 comfort, I think 00:28:03.419 --> 00:28:04.019 there's a temptation 00:28:04.019 --> 00:28:04.659 that we sometimes 00:28:04.659 --> 00:28:05.719 face when we seek to 00:28:05.719 --> 00:28:07.039 comfort others and 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:07.639 their suffering. 00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:08.319 And the temptation 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:09.179 is that we would 00:28:09.179 --> 00:28:10.559 offer a kind of 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:11.959 comfort that isn't 00:28:11.959 --> 00:28:12.519 based in our 00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:13.099 experience. 00:28:13.099 --> 00:28:13.159 purpose. 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:16.259 I cringe when I 00:28:16.259 --> 00:28:17.039 think back to ways 00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:17.779 that I did this 00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:19.259 early on in my 00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:20.259 ministry as a 22 00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:21.659 year old campus 00:28:21.659 --> 00:28:22.899 intern when I was 00:28:22.899 --> 00:28:23.759 trying to figure out 00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:24.319 ministry. 00:28:24.879 --> 00:28:25.219 And I remember 00:28:25.219 --> 00:28:26.500 being eager to help 00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:27.980 students who were 00:28:27.980 --> 00:28:28.639 going through a hard 00:28:28.639 --> 00:28:29.459 time, maybe they 00:28:29.459 --> 00:28:29.899 were going through a 00:28:29.899 --> 00:28:30.179 breakup. 00:28:31.679 --> 00:28:32.799 I remember wanting 00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:34.059 to help people but 00:28:34.059 --> 00:28:34.779 not really knowing 00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:35.539 what help meant. 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:36.699 Maybe you can 00:28:36.699 --> 00:28:37.240 resonate with this. 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:38.759 I was quick to 00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:40.740 speak and slow to 00:28:40.740 --> 00:28:40.959 listen. 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:42.480 I was quick to 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:44.100 give answers and 00:28:44.100 --> 00:28:44.539 explanations. 00:28:45.600 --> 00:28:46.799 But this is exactly 00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:48.460 the mistake that 00:28:48.460 --> 00:28:50.059 Job's friends made 00:28:50.059 --> 00:28:51.759 being miserable 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:52.299 counselors. 00:28:52.600 --> 00:28:55.319 They offered to 00:28:55.319 --> 00:28:55.960 Job lots of 00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:58.380 explanations when 00:28:58.380 --> 00:28:59.400 what Job probably 00:28:59.400 --> 00:29:00.319 needed most was 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:02.360 their presence and 00:29:02.360 --> 00:29:04.299 their questions and 00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:05.079 perhaps even their 00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:05.500 tears. 00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:08.420 I'm still a work in 00:29:08.420 --> 00:29:09.120 progress but hopefully 00:29:09.120 --> 00:29:09.900 by God's grace I 00:29:09.900 --> 00:29:10.940 have become a 00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:11.539 grown to become 00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:12.380 less of a miserable 00:29:12.380 --> 00:29:13.680 counselor partially 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:14.420 by receiving 00:29:14.420 --> 00:29:16.720 counseling myself but 00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:18.160 also through experience. 00:29:19.220 --> 00:29:19.819 Knowing what has 00:29:19.819 --> 00:29:21.059 comforted me in my 00:29:21.059 --> 00:29:22.559 suffering has equipped 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:23.720 me to offer comfort 00:29:23.720 --> 00:29:24.299 to others in their 00:29:24.299 --> 00:29:24.640 suffering. 00:29:25.160 --> 00:29:26.960 So first you can't 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:27.660 give what you haven't 00:29:27.660 --> 00:29:28.840 first received but 00:29:28.840 --> 00:29:31.160 secondly we learn to 00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:32.620 offer comfort first 00:29:32.620 --> 00:29:33.980 just by being present. 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:36.180 Just by being present. 00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:37.519 The most important 00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:38.740 thing that you have to 00:29:38.740 --> 00:29:40.380 offer somebody is your 00:29:40.380 --> 00:29:40.820 presence. 00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:42.260 And that's because 00:29:42.260 --> 00:29:44.180 offering comfort is 00:29:44.180 --> 00:29:45.280 first and foremost 00:29:45.280 --> 00:29:47.600 about sitting together 00:29:47.600 --> 00:29:49.320 with someone and 00:29:49.320 --> 00:29:49.900 sharing in the 00:29:49.900 --> 00:29:50.640 sufferings of Christ. 00:29:51.540 --> 00:29:52.460 And the only way to 00:29:52.460 --> 00:29:53.140 do that is to learn 00:29:53.140 --> 00:29:53.720 how to be present. 00:29:54.260 --> 00:29:55.800 There's a reason why 00:29:55.800 --> 00:29:57.280 Paul says a few times 00:29:57.280 --> 00:29:57.960 in this letter that he 00:29:57.960 --> 00:29:59.000 is eager to come see 00:29:59.000 --> 00:29:59.900 the Corinthians again 00:29:59.900 --> 00:30:01.720 because he knows that 00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:03.880 that comfort is 00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:05.440 presence and 00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:06.460 presence is comfort. 00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:08.819 most often the best 00:30:08.819 --> 00:30:09.440 thing that you can do 00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.600 is just sit with 00:30:10.600 --> 00:30:12.319 somebody and listen 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:13.140 and hear their story 00:30:13.140 --> 00:30:15.240 and ask questions and 00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:16.720 listen some more and 00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:17.240 pray with them. 00:30:18.380 --> 00:30:19.220 And if you get to the 00:30:19.220 --> 00:30:19.880 place where you have 00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:21.440 absolutely no idea what 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:23.980 to say next chances are 00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:24.779 you're probably doing it 00:30:24.779 --> 00:30:24.980 right. 00:30:26.059 --> 00:30:27.299 If Job's friends would 00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:28.259 have listened they just 00:30:28.259 --> 00:30:29.100 they would have been far 00:30:29.100 --> 00:30:29.720 more useful. 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:32.680 And I think if you're 00:30:32.680 --> 00:30:33.380 here this morning and 00:30:33.380 --> 00:30:34.079 I think there's a lot of 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:36.259 us who maybe look at 00:30:36.259 --> 00:30:37.019 people who might be 00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:37.539 going through a hard 00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:38.600 time and we think that 00:30:38.600 --> 00:30:39.799 that we have nothing to 00:30:39.799 --> 00:30:40.259 offer them. 00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:42.279 It's not true. 00:30:43.380 --> 00:30:44.640 You already have the 00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:45.420 most important thing. 00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:47.480 You already have your 00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:48.620 presence to offer people 00:30:48.620 --> 00:30:49.680 and that's the most 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:50.360 important thing. 00:30:51.420 --> 00:30:53.360 So you can't give what 00:30:53.360 --> 00:30:54.900 you haven't received but 00:30:54.900 --> 00:30:56.360 what you can give is your 00:30:56.360 --> 00:30:56.740 presence. 00:30:57.160 --> 00:30:57.660 Is your presence. 00:30:58.579 --> 00:30:59.400 Third and finally 00:30:59.400 --> 00:31:01.780 as you learn to be 00:31:01.780 --> 00:31:03.740 present ask the Lord for 00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:05.360 opportunities to share 00:31:05.360 --> 00:31:07.460 your story of his power 00:31:07.460 --> 00:31:08.640 at work in your 00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:09.000 weakness. 00:31:10.820 --> 00:31:11.759 Paul gives us a great 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:13.080 model here for this in 00:31:13.080 --> 00:31:14.660 verses 8 to 10 of what 00:31:14.660 --> 00:31:15.440 it looks like to share 00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:17.960 our story as a means of 00:31:17.960 --> 00:31:19.080 offering comfort to other 00:31:19.080 --> 00:31:19.360 people. 00:31:19.980 --> 00:31:21.140 In verses 8 through 10 he 00:31:21.140 --> 00:31:22.380 shares what he went 00:31:22.380 --> 00:31:22.620 through. 00:31:24.340 --> 00:31:25.580 He shares his own 00:31:25.580 --> 00:31:27.080 weakness and what it felt 00:31:27.080 --> 00:31:27.940 like to go through it. 00:31:28.380 --> 00:31:29.200 And he shares how 00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:30.360 despite all of that 00:31:30.360 --> 00:31:32.319 that the power of God 00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:33.960 was present in his life. 00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:36.000 God is the hero of 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.039 Paul's story not him. 00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:41.880 What story do you have 00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:44.100 in your life that can be 00:31:44.100 --> 00:31:45.080 a source of comfort to 00:31:45.080 --> 00:31:45.519 other people? 00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:47.900 What story of difficulty 00:31:47.900 --> 00:31:51.180 in your story can be a 00:31:51.180 --> 00:31:53.440 way to help bring comfort 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:54.740 to somebody as they're 00:31:54.740 --> 00:31:55.539 walking through their own 00:31:55.539 --> 00:31:55.740 journey? 00:31:55.740 --> 00:31:58.299 I would encourage you and 00:31:58.299 --> 00:31:59.200 invite you to ask the 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:00.319 Lord to give you an 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:01.279 opportunity to share that, 00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:03.359 to open a door for that. 00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:06.160 And if you pray for that, 00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:07.980 I would say get ready 00:32:07.980 --> 00:32:09.120 because he loves to answer 00:32:09.120 --> 00:32:09.779 that prayer request. 00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:13.960 And so as we close, I just 00:32:13.960 --> 00:32:14.819 want to acknowledge that 00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:17.759 all of us are probably in 00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:18.819 very different places as we 00:32:18.819 --> 00:32:20.099 come into talking about 00:32:20.099 --> 00:32:21.920 suffering as a heavy topic. 00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:23.500 And we're probably in all 00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:24.300 kinds of different places 00:32:24.300 --> 00:32:25.140 all across this room. 00:32:26.880 --> 00:32:27.700 And so the first thing that 00:32:27.700 --> 00:32:29.140 I want to say as we close is 00:32:29.140 --> 00:32:31.900 that the truth is that all of 00:32:31.900 --> 00:32:33.700 us have something in our 00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:36.279 lives that we're bringing in to 00:32:36.279 --> 00:32:37.180 this morning that's hard. 00:32:38.039 --> 00:32:38.820 It could be big. 00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:39.500 It could be small. 00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:41.960 But no matter how big or 00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:43.140 small that thing is, the 00:32:43.140 --> 00:32:44.920 invitation for us this 00:32:44.920 --> 00:32:46.160 morning is to see that 00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:49.180 thing as an opportunity to 00:32:49.180 --> 00:32:50.319 experience fellowship with 00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:52.640 Christ, as an opportunity to 00:32:52.640 --> 00:32:54.460 experience fellowship with a 00:32:54.460 --> 00:32:55.259 man of sorrows. 00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:57.579 Some of us today may 00:32:57.579 --> 00:32:58.940 especially be in the place of 00:32:58.940 --> 00:33:00.240 just needing to receive 00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:00.660 comfort. 00:33:01.539 --> 00:33:02.460 And if that's you, that's a 00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.319 great place to be. 00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:04.799 There's people here who would 00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:06.339 love to pray with you, who 00:33:06.339 --> 00:33:07.859 would love to listen to you 00:33:07.859 --> 00:33:08.799 and walk alongside you. 00:33:10.119 --> 00:33:11.799 Maybe one place to start is 00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:13.700 the prayer ministers who are 00:33:13.700 --> 00:33:14.799 available during the 00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:15.200 Eucharist. 00:33:16.759 --> 00:33:17.920 During the Eucharist, there'll 00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:19.480 be prayer ministers outside 00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:21.059 those doors who would love 00:33:21.059 --> 00:33:22.000 to just pray with you. 00:33:23.079 --> 00:33:24.319 So as you take the Eucharist, 00:33:24.380 --> 00:33:25.420 you can head back out there 00:33:25.420 --> 00:33:26.119 and there'll be someone who 00:33:26.119 --> 00:33:27.660 would love to just pray with 00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:28.220 you and be with you. 00:33:30.180 --> 00:33:31.539 Others of us may need to just 00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:33.119 continue to learn what it 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:34.640 means to be present with other 00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:34.920 people. 00:33:35.859 --> 00:33:37.559 Maybe we feel like we want to 00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:38.819 offer comfort to others in 00:33:38.819 --> 00:33:39.480 their suffering, but we're 00:33:39.480 --> 00:33:40.140 like, we don't know how. 00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:41.860 And maybe we just need to 00:33:41.860 --> 00:33:43.720 learn what it means to sit 00:33:43.720 --> 00:33:45.099 next to someone who's going 00:33:45.099 --> 00:33:47.579 through a hard time and to 00:33:47.579 --> 00:33:49.299 learn and to experience what 00:33:49.299 --> 00:33:52.420 it feels like to listen and to 00:33:52.420 --> 00:33:53.319 have no clue what to say. 00:33:56.099 --> 00:33:57.279 And I would put myself in that 00:33:57.279 --> 00:33:57.700 category. 00:33:57.880 --> 00:33:59.000 I need to continue to learn what 00:33:59.000 --> 00:33:59.860 it means to be present in other 00:33:59.860 --> 00:34:00.460 people's lives. 00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:02.000 And if that's you, that's also a 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:03.480 great place to be. 00:34:03.539 --> 00:34:04.460 And maybe for others of us, 00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:06.120 maybe you're thinking about 00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:07.240 something in your life that God 00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:07.900 has brought to mind. 00:34:07.940 --> 00:34:09.599 And maybe for you, it's a 00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:11.059 matter of asking the Lord for 00:34:11.059 --> 00:34:13.239 opportunities to share that part 00:34:13.239 --> 00:34:13.719 of your story. 00:34:13.860 --> 00:34:16.179 How is he calling you to offer 00:34:16.179 --> 00:34:18.739 comfort to others through your 00:34:18.739 --> 00:34:20.159 story of his power at work and 00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:20.639 your weakness? 00:34:22.539 --> 00:34:24.079 But regardless of where we're at, 00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:25.539 regardless of how we're coming in 00:34:25.539 --> 00:34:28.539 to worship this morning, none of us 00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:31.400 can do any of this without first 00:34:31.400 --> 00:34:33.800 realizing that whatever that we have 00:34:33.800 --> 00:34:36.660 to receive and whatever we have to 00:34:36.660 --> 00:34:39.660 offer, it all flows out of our 00:34:39.660 --> 00:34:40.900 relationship with the ultimate 00:34:40.900 --> 00:34:41.640 wounded healer. 00:34:43.400 --> 00:34:45.240 All suffering is fellowship with a 00:34:45.240 --> 00:34:46.080 man of sorrows. 00:34:46.640 --> 00:34:50.120 All ministry is partnership with a 00:34:50.120 --> 00:34:50.720 man of sorrows. 00:34:51.539 --> 00:34:53.920 It's by his wounds that we're 00:34:53.920 --> 00:34:54.300 healed. 00:34:54.420 --> 00:34:55.700 It is by his wounds that we're 00:34:55.700 --> 00:34:56.160 comforted. 00:34:57.360 --> 00:34:59.640 And as Paul says in verses 9 and 10, 00:35:00.760 --> 00:35:02.680 he is the one who has the power to 00:35:02.679 --> 00:35:03.299 raise the dead. 00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:05.159 He is the one on whom we set our 00:35:05.159 --> 00:35:05.440 hope. 00:35:06.379 --> 00:35:08.799 And he is the one who is making all 00:35:08.799 --> 00:35:09.299 things new. 00:35:10.379 --> 00:35:11.179 Let's pray together. 00:35:15.219 --> 00:35:16.679 God of all comfort, we come to you 00:35:16.679 --> 00:35:17.119 this morning. 00:35:18.379 --> 00:35:19.919 We praise you and thank you that 00:35:19.919 --> 00:35:21.559 whatever we're going through this 00:35:21.559 --> 00:35:23.339 morning, we thank you that it is 00:35:23.339 --> 00:35:25.940 partnership with you or that it is 00:35:25.940 --> 00:35:27.299 fellowship with you. 00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:29.539 What I pray for all of those who are 00:35:29.539 --> 00:35:31.539 going through a difficult time this 00:35:31.539 --> 00:35:32.880 morning, we pray that you would be 00:35:32.880 --> 00:35:33.980 the God of all comfort to them. 00:35:34.920 --> 00:35:37.019 They would experience your love, 00:35:38.119 --> 00:35:39.179 your comfort in their life. 00:35:40.259 --> 00:35:41.559 Lord, I pray that you would equip us 00:35:41.559 --> 00:35:43.340 to be a church of wounded healers, 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:46.300 a church that is able to offer 00:35:46.300 --> 00:35:49.420 comfort to other people based on 00:35:49.420 --> 00:35:51.099 Jesus, what you have done in our 00:35:51.099 --> 00:35:51.400 lives. 00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:55.539 Lord, thank you so much, Lord, for you 00:35:56.340 --> 00:35:58.300 revealing yourself to be this God, 00:35:58.300 --> 00:36:00.780 to be this God who is not allude from 00:36:00.780 --> 00:36:03.240 our pain, but a God who dwells in it. 00:36:04.440 --> 00:36:05.519 I pray this in Christ's name. 00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:06.720 Amen.