- Text: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
- Introduction:
- One of the greatest needs of the world is for people who are comforters.
- The world has so much:
- 1) wickedness and depressing things
- 2) harsh and critical people
- 3) difficult situations and
- 4) disappointments and discouragements, that life’s burden can be great and difficult to bear.
- A wonderful thing about coming
to God’s house is that we can be among people:
- – who love God and love each other.
- – who will build each other up,
- – who will comfort each other so we can better carry on under the trials of life.
- – who will lift us up and cheer us, who will give us hope and joy to carry on, people
- – who are with us when we are down, people
- – who we can trust will not treat us badly, people
- – who will be a blessing to us and to our family.
- The main lesson we want to
consider today is how we can:
- a) be comforted ourselves, and
- b) be a comforter of others.
- Example:
- One job of a pastor is to comfort those who need comforting.
- Anything that hinders his ability to comfort others is an attack on those needing comforting.
- Let’s build an atmosphere of comfort, love and encouragement where we can all grow to our maximum spiritual potential.
- Question: What Brings
Comfort to us?
- 1. The Holy Spirit comforts
us compared to the enemy who accuses us.
- John 14:16-18.
- When Saul’s attacks on the
churches ceased at his conversion, we see these events in Acts 9:31.
- a) the churches had rest – what a relief, what peace.
- b) the churches were edified – they had a chance to develop, grow and build.
- c) the people walked in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
- d) the churches multiplied.
- The Holy Spirit seeks to comfort
believers and churches.
- As we are filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, showing the fruit of the Spirit, we are comforted.
- 2. The Scriptures give us patience, comfort and
hope.
- Romans 15:4-5.
- As we read the life stories of
Bible characters, we see how;
- i) They endured trials and God brought them through;
- ii) They sacrificed and brought blessings to many peoples lives;
- iii) Good came out of bad situations.
- This gives us patience to endure trials, comfort that God is working out His plans, and hope that we will be kept safe.
- This is one reason why we read
the Bible and why it is so popular.
- The Bible gives us patience, comfort and hope.
- 3. Preaching is a comfort to us.
- “But he that prophesieth (or preaches) speaketh unto men to edification (strengthen), and exhortation (encourage), and comfort.” I Corinthians 14:3.
- Preaching is meant to edify (strengthen), exhort (encourage) and comfort (console) believers.
- 4. Return of a faithful Christian friend.
- Four men who comforted others
are:
- i) Titus coming in II Corinthians 7:4-6. “God…comforted us by the coming of Titus.” (v.6).
- Paul tells how in Macedonia, he and his workers had no rest, but were troubled on every side.
- Outside were fightings. Inside were fears.
- Paul said in v.6 that comfort came from 2 sources.
- a) God comforts those who are cast down, and
- b) God comforted us by the coming of Titus.
- Titus coming to Paul was a great comfort because Titus was
committed to helping build people up.
- He was a blessing and a joy to be with. Is your coming a comfort and a blessing to others or a curse?
- ii) Tychichus’ arrival
comforted the Ephesian’s hearts.
- Ephesians 6:21-22.
- iii) Timothy comforted
Paul by giving a good report of the Christians at Philippi.
- Philippians 2:19.
- Timothy came to Thessalonica to comfort and establish them in the
faith.
- I Thess. 3:2.
- iv) Justus, Paul’s fellow worker,
comforted Paul.
- Colossians 4:11.
- 5. The Return Of Christ comforts us.
- I Thess. 4:13-18.- V.18 – “…Comfort one another with these words.”
- What words?
- i) Don’t sorrow hopelessly at the death of our loved ones. v.13.
- ii) The dead in Christ are with Christ in heaven. v.14.
- iii) The dead in Christ will rise first. v.14-16.
- iv) We will be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air.
- v) We will ever be with the Lord. v.17.
- 6. Other believers
Faith and Commitment to God, their local church and
the work of God is a great comfort to all believers who are watching.
- I Thessalonians 3:7-8.
- Your faith, faithfulness and commitment to God’s work and to each other is a great comfort to other church members.
- On the other hand, disloyalty is a discomfort to others.
- If we stand fast and hold the traditions we’ve been taught by the
Apostles in the New Testament, we will comfort others and be established in
every good word and work.
- II Thessalonians 2:15-17.
- 7. Thoughts of going to Heaven is a comfort.
- Luke 16:25.
- No matter how bad things get, we have the comfort of looking
forward to joy and happiness forever in Heaven.
- This is especially true for those who finish the work that God has given them to do.T
- hey can look forward to receiving a crown of righteousness for faithfully serving Christ to the end. – I Timothy 4:6-8.
- 8. Speaking Good Words to people comforts them.
- Rehoboam should have done this – I Kings12:1-7.
- 1. The Holy Spirit comforts
us compared to the enemy who accuses us.
- Conclusion:
- We are commanded to:
- i) Comfort the feebleminded ( little spirited, fainthearted, fretful, worried) – I Thess. 5:14.
- ii) Comfort those in trouble, by the comfort that we are comforted of God. II Cor. 1:3-4
- iii) Comfort yourselves and edify one another even as ye do. – I Thessalonians 5:11.
- iv) Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace. – II Corinthians 13:11.
- If you do these 8 things I
mentioned this morning
- Allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you
- Allow the Scriptures to comfort you
- Allow Preaching comfort you
- Allow Return of a Faithful Christ Friend comfort you
- Allow The Return of Christ comfort you
- Allow Other believers faith and commitment comfort you
- Allow the Thoughts of going to heaven comfort you
- Allow Speaking Good words to people comfort you.
- The result –
- You will be a true comforter.
- We are commanded to: