80 likes | 186 Views
GOD COMFORTS THOSE WHO ARE DISTURBED. AND. DISTURBS THOSE WHO ARE TOO COMFORTABLE. INTRODUCTION. A Modern Day Heresy: Gospel of Health and Wealth A Positive Attitude Towards Suffering in Scripture: Christ’s Suffering has Redemptive Value Our Suffering Has a Spiritual Purpose.
E N D
GOD COMFORTS THOSE WHO ARE DISTURBED AND DISTURBS THOSE WHO ARE TOO COMFORTABLE
INTRODUCTION • A Modern Day Heresy: Gospel of Health and Wealth • A Positive Attitude Towards Suffering in Scripture: • Christ’s Suffering has Redemptive Value • Our Suffering Has a Spiritual Purpose AN EXPOSITION OF 2 CORINTHIANS 1: 3 -11 Page 2
A. PAUL HIGHLIGHTS TWO KEY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD IN RELATION TO HUMAN SUFFERING Paul Emphasises the Following Attributes: • Father Of Mercies (verse 3) • God is Truly Compassionate in Nature
A. PAUL HIGHLIGHTS TWO KEY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD IN RELATION TO HUMAN SUFFERING Paul Emphasises the Following Attributes: • God of All Comfort (verse 3b) • Can God Really Bring Full Comfort to Us? • God Himself has Experienced Suffering Through His Son: Betrayal Desertion Pain Abandonment Application: God Can UnderstandUs and Also Emphatise with Us
B. PAUL EXPLAINS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUFFERING & COMFORT IN CHRISTIAN LIVING Paul Develops the Relationship in this Way: • God Can Use Our Personal Suffering to Comfort Others (verse 4) • The Greater the Suffering the Greater Comfort (verse 5) • Paul’s Suffering has Brought Both Comfort and Salvation to the Corinthians (verse 6) Application: Our Suffering is Never Meaningless or Purposeless Under God’s Sovereign Hand
C. PAUL TESTIFIES HOW GOD DELIVERED HIM FROM DANGER & DEATH IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRY Paul Himself was not Immune to Suffering: • Went Through a Severe Affliction to the Point of Endangering His Own Life (verse 8) • Yet the Severe Affliction has Made Paul to Become More Dependent Upon God (verse 9)
C. PAUL TESTIFIES HOW GOD DELIVERED HIM FROM DANGER & DEATH IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRY Application: Two Key Issues Here; • There is No Premature Death for a Christian • Severe Trials is a Double Edged Sword Because it Can Make Us: • Spiritually Bitter • Spiritually Better
CONCLUSION What is the Spiritual Method for Overcoming Adversities in Life? See James 1: 2 - 4