Sermons on 2 Corinthians 1:3

… You've been called to represent God to other people, especially to hurting people. Look at 2 Corinthians 1 verses 3 to 4. When I talk to somebody who's disappointed in God, a person who has no reason, he thinks, to rejoice in suffering, I remind them of 2 Corinthians 1, 3 to 4. This is a great passage to memorize and to remember when you're going through suffering. Paul writes, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction. Now that word comfort is kind of a weak word, we think. Empathize, sympathize. But that's not what the word means here. The word means strength. Comfort means strength. The way you could read this is, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of mercies, the God of all strength, who strengthens us in our affliction so that we might feel better? No. so that we will be able to strengthen those who are in any affliction with the strength with which ourselves are strengthened by God. …

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… Listen to this. Verse three says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we will We will be able to comfort those who are in affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves have been comforted by God. He says one of the primary reasons He allows these things in our life to do what? To equip you and me to be able to help other people through that difficulty. For example, let's say that you're going through some real bad difficulty in your life. Maybe it's a physical thing, some pain. Who do you want to talk to? Somebody who's in perfect health, never had a problem at all in and wonder why you're where you are. No, you don't. If you're going through something in your finances and you don't know which way to turn, you want to turn to somebody who has been there, who has wisdom and knowledge about their finances. …

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1. Let it be considered, why it is that we have so much written of the good example of this apostle, unless that we might follow it. We often read those things in the Holy Scriptures which have now been set before us on this subject; and to what purpose, unless we apply them to ourselves? We had as good never have been informed how well the apostle behaved himself, if we do not endeavour to follow him. We all profess to be Christians, and we ought to form our notions of Christianity from what is written in the Scriptures by the prophets, and from the precepts and excellent examples that are there set before us. One great reason why many professors live no better, walk no more amiably, and are in so many things so unlovely, is, that they have not good notions of Christianity. They do not seem to have a right idea of that religion that is taught us in the New Testament. They have not well learned Christ. The notions that some persons entertain of Christianity are very distorted, and ill conformed to the gospel. The notions of others are very erroneous. They lay the chief stress wrong, upon things on which it ought not to be laid. They place religion almost altogether in some particular duties, leaving out others of great weight, and, it may be, the weightier matters of the law. And the reason why they have no better notions of Christianity is, because they take their notions of it chiefly from those sources whence they ought not to take them. Some take them from the general cry or voice of the people, among whom they live. They see that others place religion merely, if not almost wholly, in such and such things. And hence their notions of Christianity are formed. Or they take their notions from the example of particular individuals now living, who are in great reputation for godliness. And their notion of Christianity is, that it consists in being like such persons. Hence they never have just notions of religion: 2 Cor. x. 12. “They, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” If we would have right notions of Christianity, we should observe those in whom it shone, of whom we have an account in the Scriptures. For they are the examples that God himself has selected to set before us to that end, that from thence we might form our notions of religion; and especially the example of this apostle. God knows how to select examples. If therefore we would have right notions of Christianity, we ought to follow the good example of the apostle Paul. He was certainly a Christian indeed, and an eminent Christian. We have God’s abundant testimony. But Christianity is in itself an amiable thing, and so it appeared in the example of this apostle. And if the professors of it would form their notions of it from such examples as those, rather than from any particular customs and examples that we have now, it would doubtless appear much more amiable in their practice than it now does; it would win others. They would not be a stumbling-block. Their light would shine. They would command reverence and esteem, and be of powerful influence. …

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