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Posts Tagged ‘growing in faith’

The Father of mercies and the God of all comfort

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »

We are in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 today. It seems especially appropriate to share on this passage and its message, given that a number of our congregation are going through some real times of testing and hardship right now. Let’s look at this Scripture and see what God has to say to us this morning.

“3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

5For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, producing in you an endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer. 7Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

8For we do not want you to be ignorant, sisters and brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”

Let’s break this down into four points.

1. Paul talks a lot about going through hard times in these verses

The word “affliction” shows up four times. It means “trouble that inflicts distress” due to the outward circumstances of life. It can also be translated “trouble” or “tribulation.” It also refers to “inward experiences of distress.” The pain that we have because of our difficulties.

The word “sufferings” occurs four times, once as a verb. It means “that which is suffered or endured.” It can be translated, “to be in pain.”

In these verses Paul is referring specifically to suffering because of his ministry – suffering lack and being persecuted. In v. 5 he talks about how “we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings” as he and Timothy fulfill their calling to preach the gospel. Later in 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 we get a taste of what Paul is talking about: imprisonments, beatings, near death encounters, including being stoned; being shipwrecked, adrift at sea, exposed to dangers as he traveled, exposed to the cold; often hungry and thirsty.

But also v. 4 broadens the scope of what’s being talked about in these verses to include “any affliction.”

In our verses, he is giving thanks to God for a specific deliverance. v. 8 mentions  “the affliction we experienced in Asia,” that is, in the Roman province of Asia in what would be Western Turkey today. We don’t know specifically what he’s talking about, but probably the Corinthians do.

This is what we know. In v. 9 he says, “we felt that we had received the sentence of death.” And in v. 10 he called it a “deadly peril.” He thought for sure he and Timothy were going to die. The result was that “we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself” (v. 8). Now notice he was not just burdened, he was “utterly burdened,” weighed down, or crushed. So much so that he had no strength to deal with it and had no hope of living. So this was really intense testing he was in.

And certainly sometimes we feel “utterly burdened beyond our strength” by the circumstances of life that we are in. So much so that we think we aren’t going to make it. That is, we too can have despair; we can give up hope. This is a part of the inward pain that such suffering and affliction bring to us. This is what trials can do to us.

2. But also these verses say a lot about God’s mercy and comfort

v. 3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” This whole passage is blessing God for God’s mercy and comfort.

The title that Paul gives to God, “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,” doesn’t just point to God as being merciful and comforting, but to God as the source of our mercy and comfort.

God’s mercy is seen in that God delivered Paul from his trial. He didn’t die. God’s comfort has to do with God’s help in the midst of his trial.

The word “comfort” here can also be translated “encouragement,” or “consolation.” In its verbal form it means to give strength, to give hope; to lift another’s spirits; to ease their pain and sorrow. And this is a real theme in vs. 3-7. The root word shows up 10 times.

Paul is saying that he has experienced this from God. God comforted him in his desperate trial. In v. 4 he speaks of him “who comforts us in all our affliction” and talks about being “comforted by God.” He experienced God encouraging him and giving him strength. He experienced God’s presence and love which allayed some of the pain he was going through.

He also teaches us in v. 5 that God’s grace is sufficient to our need. “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so though Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” He is saying that if we have many afflictions, we can have a corresponding measure of comfort as well.

Well, just as God comforted Paul, God will comfort us in our sufferings too. God is there with us and for us in our hard times. God can encourage us, let us know that he loves us, strengthen us and hold us up, so that we endure (v. 6). And so, like Paul, we should look to God to do just this.

Paul also makes the point in the verses that –

3. God can use our sufferings for good

He can redeem our afflictions. This shows up in two ways in our passage:

1) Paul talks about how, because he has suffered and been comforted by God, he can now give comfort to others who suffer. v. 4 – God “who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Suffering equips us to minister to others; to help and bless others who are enduring suffering. And through such comfort we strengthen them to endure, as Paul says in v. 6.

2) He talks about how God used his trial to help him grow in his faith. Specifically to teach him to rely fully on God. v. 9 – “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”

His situation was beyond anything that he could take are of, and since it involved him dying he had to look to the one who can raise the dead. Death isn’t fixable by human means, only by God. He has to learn in a new way what full reliance on God meant.

Now, none of us like to go through trials.

  • But it is true that often, we minister most effectively when we are in the midst of trials or have gone through deep waters. As here we are enabled to minister comfort to others.
  • And it is true that often, we grow in our faith the most when we are in trials. As here we are taught to rely on God more fully.

And so although we pray to be spared trials, we also pray to be effective ministers to others and to grow in our faith. Although we pray to be spared testing, we also pray, your name be hallowed, your kingdom come, your will be done.

So we don’t want trials, but we have to trust God to sort through all this in terms of what is truly best for us from the perspective of our faith and of eternity, and what will bring glory to his name and advance his kingdom purposes.

We also learn in this passage –

4. How to respond to those who are suffering

1) Like Paul, we can comfort others with the comfort God has given us in our times of suffering. Again, v. 4, God “who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

We can share how God has been faithful to us. We can encourage them to hang in there; to look to God for help. We can ask what practical things we can do to ease their burden. But most of all we can simply be present and express our love. Love is more powerful than evil or whatever evil we find ourselves going through. Love is what truly comfort and heals.

And God uses us when we do these things, to give his comfort to people in need.

2) Like Paul asks the Corinthians to do, we can pray for others, for deliverance from trials, both now and in the future.

v. 11 says, “You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” Paul is speaking of future ordeals he will no doubt go through. And by the help of their prayers he wants God’s deliverance from these. This is what he means by “the blessing granted to us.”

Now, Paul was not always delivered. According to tradition he was eventually killed by Emperor Nero. So this praying is subject to God’s will, of course. But nevertheless he asks for prayers for deliverance so that he can continue on with the ministry that God has given to him. And we can pray the same for those who are going through hard times.

William Higgins

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You get what you give – and more. Mark 4:24

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on October 16, 2011| 2 Comments »

I want to share with you about growing and moving forward in our Christian lives – from the Scriptures and from my heart.

Our Scripture comes from Mark 4:21-25 –

“And he said to them, ‘Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.’ And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’” (See outline)

Paul Nolt once said to me, “What you put into something, is what you get out of it.” He was talking about church involvement. And I thought, “Hey that would make a good sermon.”

What he said also reminded me of Jesus’ words in Mark 4:24 – “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Or as I’m putting it – you get what you give.

I want us to look at this principle of the kingdom, first of all to see what it means in its context. And then I want to make some suggestions about applying it more broadly to our Christian lives.

Our principle is a part of a section in Mark 4 focused on –

Understanding Jesus’ teaching

As we know Jesus’ teaching is often hard to understand. Even his close disciples struggled (e.g. Mark 7:17-18; 8:14-21). This is especially true of his parables, which were meant to conceal as much as reveal (Mark 4:11-12). Jesus is telling parables in Mark 4.

But here, Jesus is saying that his teaching really is meant to be understood. He compares it to a lamp in v. 21. “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?” (also Matthew 5:15; Luke 8:16). Just as a lamp is meant to shine out, so his teaching is meant to give light to all.

Jesus’ intention is expressed in v. 22 – “For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light” (also Matthew 10:26; Luke 8:17; 12:22) Everything Jesus hides, he wants to come to light. Everything he veils, he wants to be made known.

But, we have to do some work. Jesus hides his teaching so that only those who really seek after it will find it. The two exhortations tell us what we need to do:

  • v. 23 – “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” We need to listen.
  • And then he says in v. 24 – “Pay attention to what you hear.”

Today we would say, “pay attention to what you read,” since Jesus’ teaching is now written out in the Scriptures.

If you want to understand, you need to listen carefully to Jesus. You need to put some effort into understanding what he is saying.

And then comes our principle. Mark 4:24 – “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you . . .” Jesus uses this principle in other places (Matthew 7:2/Luke 6:38), but here the focus is on understanding his teaching.

What he’s saying, is that there is a relationship between the effort we put in and the understanding we receive from God. To say it another way, the amount of careful listening you put in, equals the amount of understanding you will get. The more reading, seeking, puzzling, discerning, the more understanding you receive. And likewise, the less of these things you do, the less understanding you receive. Again – you get what you give.

But then, there’s the generosity of God for those who put in effort. The end of v. 24 says “. . . and still more will be added to you.” So, if you pay attention and receive from God in proportion to your effort – God will give even more understanding on top of this; a surplus; an added bonus.

In the first part of v. 25 Jesus says, “For to the one who has, more will be given . . ..” This is just how the kingdom of God works. God is amazingly generous.

The disciples are an example here: they are carefully listening, trying, asking questions, hanging in there with Jesus. And they have some understanding of his teaching and what he is up to. So more is given.

  • In Mark 4 Jesus gives them some private explanation of what he is saying for some of the parables.
  • But even beyond this God helped them understand in various ways. Think of how God helped Peter understand in Mark 8 that Jesus is the Messiah. This came from God.

So these words of Jesus are a promise to us. This is what God will do for us when we put in the effort.

And then we have a warning. The last part of v. 25 says – “. . . and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (For this whole saying see also – Matthew 13:12/Luke 8:18; Matthew 25:29/Luke 19:26). This is the other side of the coin, as it were, of God’s generosity. Those who don’t listen to Jesus, who put in no effort, will lose even what they have.

The examples here are the Pharisees and to some degree the crowd. The Pharisees have already rejected Jesus and only seek to argue and find fault. The crowds are apathetic. They don’t seek after Jesus, but hang back. In both cases Jesus’ teaching goes right over their head. They might get a bit of it, but they end up walking away scratching their heads. The light of Jesus’ teaching is hidden from them.

Now let’s look at –

This principle in other areas of the Christian life

What do you put into Bible study? This is the context of Mark 4, after all. The measure you give, is the measure you will get. How much careful reading are you doing? Are you more like the crowds – casual, apathetic? You know, you pick up your Bible every once in a while. Or are you more like the disciples – trying hard?

What about seeking out God in prayer? Being in God’s presence? How much time and energy do you put into this? Does God feel distant? Have you not heard from God lately? You get what you give.

More broadly, what about growing in your Christian life? How much focus and effort do you put into this? Is it an afterthought? Or is it a priority in your life? The measure you use, will be measured to you.

What about being part of a church? God uses congregations to minister to us, to give us support and encouragement and equipping for ministry. But what do you put into a congregation? What effort do you make? What commitment do you have? And do you expect to receive . . . without giving?? Remember our kingdom principle – what you put into a congregation is directly proportional to what you will get out of it from God.

We could go on and on. Have you ever been in a worship service and said, “God didn’t speak to me?” Well, what did you put into the service in terms of being prepared? Often we just drag ourselves in to worship expecting to have someone give us energy and inspiration for another week – when we haven’t done anything. It is measure for measure. The measure you give is the measure you get. If you come and sit and do nothing, should you expect anything from God?

What would it be like if we all came having put in much effort? Can you imagine how much God would bless us?

Finally, don’t forget the bonus. If you put effort into these things – bible study, seeking God, growing in your Christian life, in your church, into worship, not only will you receive from God in each of these areas – you will get even more. God’s gonna poor more blessings into your life.

But also, don’t forget the warning. If you don’t put in effort; if you are apathetic – even what you have will be taken away.

There is no standing still in the kingdom of God. You are either moving forward or you are moving backwards. You are either going forward and being blessed or you are going backwards and losing God’s blessings in your life.

So I encourage you this morning, move forward – and receive God’s abundant blessings!

William Higgins

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