Hello, my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
I know that in our day few people actually sit down to hand write letters or cards of thanks or encouragement, because technology and social media is faster and less expensive. But not all that long ago receiving a handwritten, thoughtful letter was cherished in most parts of the world. My wife happens to love both sending and receiving such cards, so she writes many, I mean many, hundreds of them each year.
Yesterday, we watched as Titus returned from Corinth and gave Paul a joyful report about how the Corinthian Christians had responded to Paul’s convicting letter which we have in our Bible as 1 Corinthians. Encouraged by Titus’ report Paul was moved by the Spirit to write yet another letter to the Corinthians in response to what Titus had told him. Over these next few days, let’s take a fresh look at this wonderful letter which God has preserved for us down through the centuries. Did you know it is now available in almost every language known to mankind? We know this letter as 2 Corinthians.
While Paul was NOT part of the original 12 disciples selected by Jesus, Paul did have a very specific encounter with RESURRECTED Jesus, on the road to Damascus, remember? (Acts 9:3-19) In that encounter Paul heard the audible voice of Jesus give him clear instructions regarding his apostolic calling for the remainder of his life!
As Paul opens 2 Corinthians, do you see he refers to that? “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother. To the church of God in Corinth together with all His holy people throughout Achaia. ” (2 Cor. 1:1) The Holy Spirit was evidently giving Paul a message of encouragement and instruction for ALL the churches of Jesus followers throughout the Achaia region of Greece.
Do you see Paul’s challenge, right up front, that God’s people are called by God to a high, holy standard of living? For those in crazy Corinth, that would be a daily challenge!
Do you see Paul began with a blessing: “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Cor. 1:2-4)
Now while that may sound a bit redundant, it is very significant. Why? Grace and Peace; Compassion and Comfort are four MAJOR aspects of the life changing ‘soul work’ which only God can do in our hearts and minds. And while entertainment or medications or therapy or even love from another person may give us a sense of these words to some degree, ONLY God can accomplish all FOUR of these great experiences at the deepest level in our soul! Did you notice God the Holy Spirit is NOT mentioned in those two opening verses? Why not?
While Paul writes that all four experiences come from God the Father and God the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, let’s embrace the fact that it is God the Holy Spirit, alive WITHIN redeemed followers of Jesus, who works deeply in our soul and spirit to make these four, God given experiences, become reality in our lives.
You can’t fake any of them. Experiencing them is part of the transformational and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in authentic Christians. Now pause and ponder that for a moment. Look again at those four words. Are you experiencing them as a result of God’s deep soul work in your life: Grace, Peace, Compassion and Comfort?
Do you notice Paul declares that God’s life transforming work IN God’s people should ripple out to touch other people. Sanctification, while a very personal, individual work of God should be contagious drawing other Christians deeper in their personal sanctification adventure with the Holy Spirit.
Paul, you may recall, was in a very discouraged state of mind as he fled the riot in Ephesus, (Acts 20:1) and then faced opposition in Troas, all the while wondering how the Christians in Corinth would receive his letter. (2 Cor. 2:12,13; 7:5) But when Titus returned to meet Paul in Macedonia it was obvious Titus had been greatly encouraged in Corinth and he brought that overflowing joy to Paul, several hundred miles away in Macedonia!
As Paul heard the report of what the Holy Spirit had done in Corinth through his letter and how Titus had been loved and encouraged by the Corinthians, then Paul found the Holy Spirit stirring up comfort and joy in him. That’s why Paul wrote: “God comforts us in all our troubles so we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have received from God.”
As we receive God’s glorious work in our hearts, the transformation we experience should be contagious. It billows out from us to touch others who are in need of the same God touch we have experienced. Do you see that my friends? Has that happened to you?
Knowing how difficult and discouraging life was in Corinth, Paul was focusing especially on the significance of COMFORTING as he opened this powerful letter to his Corinthian friends. They were often opposed, humiliated and shamed by those in Corinth who had no interest in Jesus. God’s comfort was something all of them needed regularly.
So, Paul wrote: “Just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” (2 Cor. 1:5) Oh my, what did Paul mean?
Paul was saying that the closer our relationship with Jesus, the more we will experience what Jesus experienced. As He suffered rejection, humiliation, opposition, so will we, if we are seen as being close to Jesus. And as Jesus experienced the powerful comforting work of the Holy Spirit in His life, especially in times of opposition and loneliness and discouragement, so we will experience that same comfort as the Holy Spirit does His similar work in us, God’s people!
And as Jesus was able to comfort others, by the power of the Spirit’s work in Him, so we will comfort others as that same Holy Spirit works in us. Do we get that my friends? Are we experiencing it and passing along to others what we receive in our relationship with Jesus?
Oh, I think we should pause right here and first thank Jesus for this great truth but then also look deeply into our lives to see what BLOCKS or RESTRAINS or HINDERS us from passing along comfort to those around us who need the touch of Jesus?
The “lessons learned” will help us think through those things and the worship song will encourage us, and tomorrow I’ll be right here, with my Bible open, waiting for you.
Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:1-5.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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