don't worry, everything will be fine. She'll be right. Don't be sad. It'll all work out.
Have you ever heard these kinds of words said to you before? Have you ever said something like this
before? Imagine the scene where something terrible has happened, a loved one has died,
something quite painful, and people keep coming up to you and they try to offer you comfort.
But it's not actually comforting. It's all a fake. Comments that sound nice, but actually just make
the person think they're doing the right thing. You know, imagine sharing a painful truth with a
friend and they say, I'll pray for you. Maybe you've been that person, you've said, I'll pray for you,
and you just totally forget to actually pray for them. We say things that sound good, but they can
have no substance. We can offer fake comfort. I've heard of people who don't like being with
their friends when they're sad because it's really tough. They don't like being with people when
they're grieving. So they just say, oh, don't be sad. Don't cry. Everything will be fine. And I know I've
said those things too. But they're not comforting. I think we give fake comfort easily. We seek
comfort in other places. Does anybody want to admit that they eat comfort food? Does anybody have a
preferred comfort food, Mark? What's your preferred comfort food, brother? Ice cream? That's a good one.
I always use a teaspoon these days. It's safer that way. There's retail therapy. We go shopping to make
ourselves feel better. But they're fake comforts. Do we know where real, authentic comfort comes from?
And do we know how to share authentic comfort with those in need? Today, we're starting a new series,
authentic. And we're looking at the book of 2 Corinthians. And Paul calls people to be authentic,
to have authentic relationships, to be authentic and real Christians, to have authentic love and
generosity and humility, to not pretend and not fake it, but to be real with one another and God.
And today, as we'll see, to have authentic comfort and to share it. So I'm going to pray for us.
Heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, that you have made us people who are not alone and isolated,
but that we get to be in relationships with other people. Father, help us today to understand
what authentic comfort can look like and how you have given it to us, Lord. Amen.
Before we can get into the topic of authentic comfort, we need to understand where this letter is placed
and who the church of Corinth were. So we're going to do a bit of a brief history lesson for Corinth.
Corinth in the first century was, it was the hot new town. And they were pursuing money and
pursuits of pleasure. One commentator describes the society with five descriptors.
Individualism, that valued self-sufficiency, wealth as the key to status, displays of accomplishment
and possessions to get praise, competition for honour as a normal thing, and then pride in your
neighbourhood as a reflection of your social location. And so it creates this population who is
all about pursuing money and wealth. But that description of Corinth in the first century
doesn't really sound that different to us today, does it? And so into this city, God sends the apostle
Paul. Paul's message of the gospel confronts the materialism and individualism. And this city
in Corinth had a difficult pull of security and social status to ignore when following Jesus.
And so coming to the letter that we're looking at to Corinthians, it's actually at least Paul's fourth
letter to the church in Corinth. We just don't have the other letters. Paul initially stayed for about a
year and a half before travelling, but he stayed in touch as their apostle pastor via letters.
And it appears that after he leaves, some opponents come in. And Paul calls them the super apostles. And
we'll see them a little bit later in this series. And they come in and they preach a different gospel
with a different Jesus. One that looks a little bit more attractive to the world. One that doesn't look
so weak. A Jesus that maybe doesn't die on the cross because that looks a bit weak to humans.
And so Paul heads back. And in 2 Corinthians, he talks about visiting Corinth as a painful visit.
The church had questioned Paul and his authority and they'd attacked him. And so Paul leaves without
retaliating in a lot of grief. And then Paul sends his brother Titus with a severe letter of warning,
calling on the church to repent. And Titus comes back to Paul and Paul hears from Titus that the church
has indeed repented. And so Paul sends this letter to Corinthians. He defends himself and his job as an
apostle. And he defends the gospel that he's called to preach. And we see a hint of that at the very
start in verse 1. Often when we read Paul's letters, we can skip a little too quickly over his
introductions. But have a look at verse 1 with me. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
He is not an apostle by the will of man, but by God's will alone. And so the themes of Paul's
authority and dependence on God in his weakness are going to continue right through this letter of
2 Corinthians. Having put that in place, kind of knowing the context and the relationship between
Paul and this church, we come to Paul praising God and describing who he is. Have a look with me
at verse 3 as we see the comfort he offers.
I think this is a really beautiful description of God. That he is the father of compassion and the
God of all comfort. From him comes compassion and comfort. To have compassion means to suffer with.
The first half of the word compassion, com means with. And the second half, passion,
originally meant suffering. That's why Jesus' crucifixion is called the passion. I'm not sure
if you've seen Mel Gibson's movie from a number of years ago, The Passion of the Christ. This is why
the crucifixion is called the passion. Because passion originally meant suffering. Now we've taken it to
mean strong emotions. And so when we put these two words together, compassion means with suffering.
And so Paul praises God because he is the father of compassion. God's son Jesus came and was with us
and suffered. Jesus is compassion. He is with us in our suffering. Jesus knows what our suffering is like
because he has been there. He has lived with us in body and he has endured the pain of the cross.
And so he has been with us in our suffering. But not only that, God is our strength.
He is the God of comfort. Now the word comfort means to strengthen.
Imagine that moment when you were down in the depths.
To comfort someone is to lift them up, to strengthen them, to walk with them until they are strong enough.
That is our God. He has experienced our suffering and he walks with us to bring us back to our strength in him.
And Paul is not just referring to feelings.
It's not just a feeling of relief or being comfortable.
It's not God is comfortable like giving you a cushion on a chair.
But instead he can speak of being at peace.
All because God has comforted Paul in the past.
Paul knows God's comfort because he's delivered him.
We'll see this in verse 10, that his comfort comes from God being a deliverer.
And he trusts that the God who has delivered will deliver him again.
The experience of God's deliverance in the past gives him hope that he will be delivered in the future.
And that means that in the present, he has comfort.
His God is strong and he will deliver him.
Paul's comfort doesn't come from things that are fake,
you know, from comfort food or from retail therapy.
It comes from the God of comfort.
I really love this description of God.
I think it is just a wonderful summary of the gospel, these two titles.
The God of compassion and the God of comfort.
And it shows his fatherly affection for us.
And in verse 4, Paul describes what this God does.
Verse 4.
Now, reading this part of Paul, he uses the word comfort about seven times.
And it's very... he keeps using the word so it can get confusing.
So we'll go a little bit slowly.
So what happens is God comforts Paul, but not Paul alone.
God comforts Paul so Paul can comfort others.
God has been faithful to Paul and he's seen that through his hardship and struggles.
And God has strengthened him in all his troubles.
And Paul connects his suffering to Jesus' suffering in verse 5.
For just as we share abundantly in the suffering of Christ,
so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
Both Paul's suffering and comfort come through Jesus.
Now, this might seem like a strange idea,
but Paul views every kind of comfort and suffering
as an expression of the same kind of suffering and comfort
that Jesus himself experienced under God's hand.
Jesus was under the sovereign control of God
and he suffered death on the cross.
And Paul following Jesus, well, he's not killed on a cross,
but he has troubles too because he is seeking to obey God under his hand.
And so not only does Paul suffer like Jesus,
but he's comforted like Jesus.
Jesus trusted in God, that God was committed to him,
that he was following his plan,
and God would deliver him even from death.
And so Paul is able to be comforted and strengthened by his confidence
that God would rescue him, even if it's through death.
He has a hope in the resurrection.
And so Paul has this hope, and so he can pass it on to others.
God comforted Jesus, which gives Paul comfort,
and now Paul knows that he can share that comfort with others who follow Jesus.
Verse 6,
Paul is saying that there is this close family relationship
between those who follow Jesus.
We're more than just people sitting in a room together.
There is actually a close family bond.
There is this special relationship between believers in the church.
Our comfort and our compassion comes from Jesus to us,
but it also goes out from us to each other.
It doesn't and shouldn't stop with us.
I recently read about a widowed single mother,
and her name was Ashley.
She was in the middle of moving house
when she was taken captive by an escaped murderer
and held hostage for seven hours.
Ashley had been a drug addict.
She'd lost custody of her daughter.
But God had been working in her life.
She had begun to read the Bible and other Christian books.
And when she was taken captive,
she spoke to this murderer who had escaped.
She spoke to him
and read some of the Bible to him.
She offered the comfort which she had received to this man
so that her captor, this escaped murderer,
eventually released her
and he allowed himself to be re-arrested.
Ashley had begun to see God's compassion and comfort in her life
found only through Jesus,
and that meant she was able to offer it
with someone who was going through the same thing.
This comfort God offers isn't for us alone.
We can't hoard it.
This isn't fake comfort.
Imagine if, in this situation,
Ashley is being held for seven hours by this murderer
and she just tried to offer him fake comfort.
Don't worry.
You'll be fine.
Go and get arrested.
The police will take good care of you.
Imagine if she had tried to offer fake comfort.
The comfort she offers from God
is honest about sin.
There is no sugarcoating it.
But this comfort seeks help and hope
from the only one who can give it
and the only one who can give forgiveness.
Paul has been able to comfort
because he has first comforted in his sufferings.
And it's hard not to want to ask Paul the question,
well, what were your sufferings, Paul?
What had you actually gone through?
And he doesn't give us all of the detail,
but he mentions a little bit.
He tells us what has happened to him.
It's not the details,
but it's the process that he has gone through
and how God has shaped him.
Paul does this
and he reveals his own vulnerability and weakness
so that God would be seen to be strong.
Verse 8.
We do not want you to be uninformed,
brothers and sisters,
about the troubles we experienced
in the province of Asia.
We were under great pressure,
far beyond our ability to endure,
so that we despaired of life itself.
Paul is really clear and honest at this point.
He is not going to hide away the fact that he suffered.
He's not afraid of this church knowing the pain that he's gone through.
He doesn't care that it might lower him in their eyes.
I've heard people say to me,
James,
don't mention your sin when you're preaching.
People will think less of you.
And people want to put preachers on a pedestal,
so don't talk about that.
People want to put you on that kind of pedestal to follow.
And I say,
no,
I can't do that.
Paul certainly can't do that.
And I definitely can't.
Rather,
I would be,
I would far prefer to be honest with my own weaknesses
and how God is working in my life
and my vulnerabilities,
so that we can all see how God is working in my life
and encourage you and comfort you in yours.
And that's what Paul is doing here.
He doesn't want this church
to trust in rumors that they've heard.
He wants to inform them
so they know what's happening to him.
Paul and Timothy were under great pressure,
so much so that they despaired of life itself.
Now,
our understanding of mental health
has increased a lot since then,
since the first century.
But what Paul is sounding like,
it sounds like he is in depression.
They had no hope.
They were suffering and could see no way out.
Verse 9,
Indeed,
we felt we had received the sentence of death.
They saw no way out.
Only death is coming.
But God had a purpose.
But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves,
but on God who raises the dead.
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril
and he will deliver us again.
Paul says,
Is it possible that Paul
had not trusted in God?
Paul,
who had seen Jesus himself appear to him?
Paul,
the apostle,
who had planted churches
and seen miraculous deeds of God,
is it possible that this Paul
stopped relying on God?
Could he have gotten so caught up
in the work that he was doing
that he stopped relying on God?
And so God used hardship and suffering
to remind them that they only had God
to depend upon.
Paul shows his vulnerability,
his weakness for the benefit of the church.
He was distressed to the point of thinking
they were going to die.
But God has comforted him.
God has delivered
and God has been his strength.
Pulled him out of that situation
so that he depends on God
and shares that message of hope.
Paul's language here,
the language of being so close to death,
the sentence of death,
it's really evocative.
I think he's drawing a parallel here
between the sentence of death
that he received
and Jesus' sentence of death.
And he's saying,
Jesus was given a sentence of death
and Jesus was delivered from death
and I was given a sentence of death
and I was delivered.
Just like Jesus was saved from death,
God has saved me from death
and he will deliver us again.
This is so important.
This is,
as we'll see in this whole letter,
Paul reveals his vulnerability
and weakness
and the importance
of depending on Jesus
in these situations.
The Corinthian church
thought that it disqualified him
for being an apostle
but it is central to the gospel.
Paul has shared his weakness.
The church in Corinth
have an issue with it.
They think,
you know,
you shouldn't be weak.
You should be like our super apostles.
But Paul is going to take time
throughout this letter
to explain that he is living out the gospel.
That he might appear weak
but that the man that we worship,
Jesus,
well he appeared weak too
when he died on a cross.
All to show God's power
raising him from the dead.
And Paul,
in his weakness,
shows God's power
delivering him
as if he was dead.
And so it is this suffering of Paul's
which means that God's comforted him
so that he can now comfort the church
in Corinth.
As a church,
one of the things that we value
is humble authenticity.
Where we declare war
on our desires
to live independently of God.
Central to who we are
is a desire
to weaken our pride
and develop humility.
So we desire to be vulnerable
with our imperfections,
with our issues.
That shows that God's love
is greater.
To be authentic
in relationships
that are about knowing
and caring for others.
Not just about manipulating
and gaining power
from our relationships.
And also having a willingness
to confront sin,
being quick to confess.
When we are authentic
with one another,
we can share the comfort
that God gives us.
I think there are at least
four things
that are helpful for us
to be aware of
to help us
to share God's comfort.
So I think
there are at least four things
that are comforting
that are worth sharing.
So have a look at this list.
I'd encourage you
to write this list down.
Make a note of these things
in your phone.
Write it on the back of your hand,
on someone's leg next to you,
whatever you like.
In our lives,
when the Holy Spirit
puts our sin to death,
that is worthwhile sharing.
Share the joy
that God is working
and that He changes our lives.
So that's the first thing.
When the Holy Spirit
puts our sin to death,
tell someone about it.
When you have endured hardship
and God has delivered you,
share that God comforts you
and has helped you endure
to help others endure.
Third,
when God provides
in miraculous,
last-minute ways.
When God just,
you know,
if it's a time
of financial hardship,
you're not sure
how you're going to afford
the next meal for your family,
and God provides
in that last minute,
share the comfort
from knowing
that we have a God
who provides for us,
who knows our needs.
when God brings
reconciliation
between you
and someone having conflict,
share that,
that God
not only reconciles us
with Him,
but that He reconciles
us with each other.
Share the comfort
that comes from the outworking
of the God
who forgives us.
Share these
and many more
to remind each other
of the compassion
and comfort
our God
gives us
in Jesus.
But I have a concern,
brothers and sisters.
I'm concerned for us
as a people
and as a church.
We might hate it
when people
show fake comfort,
but are we
willing
to show
real,
authentic comfort?
Paul could only
comfort the church
because of what
he had gone through,
how he had been
delivered,
and it's the same
for us.
There are barriers
to us showing
and sharing
how God is working
in us.
There are barriers
that want to stop us
from being vulnerable
with each other
and allowing
other people
to actually
comfort us.
If you hadn't noticed,
I'm an Aussie male
and I know
the temptation
to not show
or share weakness.
other Aussie males
can be like predators
where they see weakness
and so they jump on it
and they joke about it,
usually to make
themselves feel better.
It comes from
a fear of being
weak
and so we always
have to act
as the alpha male.
We always have to
pretend that we have
everything together.
We can't share
or show weakness.
Now there are many
different cultural
ways of behaving
that show
our desire
to protect
ourselves
and to not
be vulnerable.
So we try
and protect
ourselves
in a multitude
of different ways.
But both Jesus
and Paul
are an encouragement
to us.
They are both
willing
to be seen
as small
and weak
and vulnerable
because it shows
how big
and how powerful
our God is.
That was totally
against the culture
then,
especially in Corinth
and it's totally
against our culture
today.
How is the
cross of Jesus
clashing
with your preferences
to protect yourself
and to look
strong
and in control?
we need to have
a willingness
to be vulnerable
and to appear
weak with other
people.
And then there's
the matter of who.
Who can I be
vulnerable with?
Many of us
aren't just going
to go out
over a coffee
or a tea
and a biscuit
and start
opening up
deep issues
and being vulnerable.
That's not
who we are.
Remember that
woman Ashley
who was held
captive?
She was held
for seven hours
with him.
Maybe that's
what we need.
You know,
we just divide
each other up,
lock each other
in rooms
for seven hours
and we'll have
close relational
bonds.
Maybe not.
But we're here
every week
sitting next
to each other.
To share comfort
we actually
need to spend
time with
each other.
Paul lived
with the church
in Corinth.
He knew them
and they knew
him.
How well
are you connected
here at church?
Would you like
to know people
more deeply?
Would you like
people to know
you more deeply?
It is going
to take time
and a willingness
to be vulnerable.
Why don't you
invite someone
to lunch today?
Why don't you
invite them over?
It doesn't
really matter
the food.
I think
the willingness
to spend time
with people
is more important.
And why don't
you share
maybe one of
those four things
that we looked
at a moment ago.
Why don't you
share one of
those about
how God has
worked in your
life to comfort
others.
It will take
time and effort
and a willingness
to be vulnerable.
C.S. Lewis
said that friendship
is born at the
moment when one
person says to
another,
what?
You too?
I thought I was
the only one.
How much more
with the gospel?
You have gone
through hard times
in your life.
I thought I was
the only one.
God has comforted
me knowing that
Jesus has died
for me and has
forgiven me.
How much of a
comfort is he
for you?
Let me pray.
Heavenly Father,
thank you again
that you do not
make us as
people to be
isolated and
alone.
Father, we are
people made to
be in relationship
with others and
we all crave
deep relationships
with other
people, Lord.
Father, we ask
that you would
not let us
leave this place
without seeking
to get to
know someone
more.
Give us a
willingness to
be vulnerable
just like Jesus
was and just
like Paul was
so that we
can show how
much you have
loved us and
comforted us in
our lives,
Lord.
We ask this in
your son's name
all for your
glory.
Amen.