Comfort and Trouble

2 Corinthians 1:2-5 (NIV)

2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Introduction: No matter how serious our troubles may be, we can overcome them when the comfort of God overflows in our hearts. However, if the comfort of God is not in our hearts, then we will break down and be defeated by frustration, failure, and despair.

1.     The comfort and trouble that Jesus experienced.

1)      The experience on the Mount of Transfiguration and comfort (Lk 9:28-36).

①     The assurance that Jesus is the one and only son of God (Lk 9:35).

②     The fulfillment of the law and the prophets.

③     The prediction of His death and resurrection.

  - The comfort of this experience enabled Jesus to overcome suffering on the Cross.

2)     Mary’s alabaster jar (Mk 14:3-9).

①     She did a beautiful thing to Jesus – He was moved.

②     She prepared beforehand for Jesus’ burial.

③     Wherever the Gospel is preached, what she did will be remembered.

         - Mary’s comfort of love in faithfulness and with all her heart.

         - This comfort enabled Jesus to overcome suffering on the Cross.

2.    The comfort and trouble that the apostles experienced.

1)      The comfort for the witnesses of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ac 1:3-4).

2)      The comfort of the fullness of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Ac 2:1-4).

- They overcame suffering, persecution, and martyrdom from testifying about the Gospel.

3)     The apostle Paul’s comfort and trouble.

①     The comfort through Jesus in Damascus (Ac 9:3-6).

②     The comfort through the third heaven (2Co 12:1-3).

         - He willingly overcame suffering, trouble, and death (Ac 20:23-24).

3.    The comfort that we should seek.

1)      We must receive comfort from God to overcome trouble in our lives

(Isa 66:13; Ps 23:4).

2)     We can comfort those in trouble with the comfort we have received from God

(2Co 1:3-4; Isa 40:1).

3)      As for a great task, we must ask beforehand for comfort to overcome great trouble.

①     Through the Word (Ps 119:50; 50:15).

②     Through grace in the fullness of the Holy Spirit (1Th 1:6-7; Ro 8:26).

③     Through experiencing special grace (2Th 2:16-17; Isa 41:10).

Conclusion: (2Co 1:5). The Christian life is inseparable from God’s comfort. In this world, there is endless suffering—both big and small. We need His overflowing comfort to live a victorious life.