The God of All Comfort 2 Corinthians 1

The God of All Comfort 2 Corinthians 1: 3 -11

We All Need Comfort • Many turn to the wrong things for comfort: immorality, drugs/alcohol, revenge/retaliation, outbursts, etc. • We can gain true comfort from God

God Comforts Us • The God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1: 3) • “Comfort” = παράκλησις ; a calling by someone close beside; to exhort; to encourage; to cheer • Giving us his Son, the Messiah (Lk. 2: 25)

God Comforts Us • Giving us his word: reading (Acts 9: 31; 15: 31; Rom. 15: 4 -5) and preaching (Acts 13: 15; 1 Cor. 14: 3; 1 Thess. 2: 3; 1 Tim. 4: 13) • Giving us his grace (2 Thess. 2: 16 -17) • Giving us his immutability (Heb. 6: 18)

God Comforts Us • Giving us his discipline (Heb. 12: 5)

Christians Comfort Us • God comforts through Christians (2 Cor. 1: 4 -7; Rom. 12: 8) • Their prayers (2 Cor. 1: 8 -11) • Their forgiveness (2 Cor. 2: 7) • Their generous giving (Acts 4: 36; 2 Cor. 8: 4)

Christians Comfort Us • Their presence and joy (2 Cor. 7: 4 -7, 13; Acts 16: 40; Eph. 6: 22) • Their words (2 Cor. 8: 17; Phil. 2: 1) • Their faithful life (Rom. 1: 12; Phil. 2: 19; Col. 4: 8; 1 Thess. 3: 2, 7) • Their unity and understanding (Col. 2: 2)

Christians Comfort Us • Their work (Col. 4: 11) • Their love (Philemon 4 -7)

God Comforts Christians So Christians Can Comfort Others • What can Christians do? Comfort through sitting and listening (Job 2: 11 -13; Ezek. 3: 15), writing (Heb. 13: 22), hugging (Lk. 15: 20; Acts 20: 37), weeping (Rom. 12: 15), and words (1 Thess. 4: 18) • How would you rate yourself?