Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Leslie is sharing with us, you can watch her video above, and read some of her thoughts on the passage below.
In 1 Corinthians we were challenged to align every area of our life to the gospel. Thus, it is fitting that in the beginning of his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul talks about affliction. As followers of Christ living gospel-centered lives, we will face hardship and trials. But there is great encouragement to be found in the opening verses of 2 Corinthians 1.
3“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts s in all our affliction…”
God is the source of all mercy and comfort and he is with us. God will not allow suffering where he will not also provide is comfort.
4“so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
God comforts us so we can comfort others. We are meant to live in community with one another. We share our trials and hardships, and then we reciprocate the comfort we have received from God.
5“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
Our suffering is the result of choosing to follow Christ. Yet where there is great suffering, there is also great comfort.
6“If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort…”
Paul did not hesitate to suffer for the sake of others. Paul’s purpose was always to strengthen other believers. Suffering is never wasted.
8“we were utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself…. 9but that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God…”
Once again, we see Paul’s full confidence in God. God who raises the dead. God who will deliver us.
Take-away: Drawing strength from these truths, where do I need to confidently choose the way of Christ, even if it might involve suffering?
Further Study
If you are looking to go deeper into your study of 2 Corinthians during this time we’ll be recommending resources to help you do so.
This morning as we start the book I’d like to point you in a direction of a Podcast called ‘How to Teach the Bible’, the episode on 2 Corinthians is found by following the link below. George Guthrie, a college professor and Christian author, takes us through some of the more complex concepts in the book of 2 Corinthians.
If you have been going through a season of suffering recently and you are reading the words of 1 Corinthians 1 this morning and still can’t fully grasp why God has led you to the situation that you’re in now, then you may find the below article helpful, as John Piper attempts to answer the question - Why Doesn’t God Fully Explain my Pain?
