GOD COMFORTS THOSE WHO ARE DISTURBED

AND

DISTURBS THOSE WHO ARE TOO COMFORTABLE

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INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

A Modern Day Heresy: Gospel of Health and Wealth

A Positive Attitude Towards Suffering in Scripture:

a) Christ’s Suffering has Redemptive Value

b) Our Suffering Has a Spiritual Purpose

AN EXPOSITION OF 2 CORINTHIANS 1: 3 -11AN EXPOSITION OF 2 CORINTHIANS 1: 3 -11

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A. PAUL HIGHLIGHTS TWO KEY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD IN RELATION TO HUMAN SUFFERING

Paul Emphasises the Following Attributes:

1. Father Of Mercies (verse 3)

God is Truly Compassionate in Nature

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A. PAUL HIGHLIGHTS TWO KEY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD IN RELATION TO HUMAN SUFFERING

Paul Emphasises the Following Attributes:

2. God of All Comfort (verse 3b)

Can God Really Bring Full Comfort to Us?

God Himself has Experienced Suffering Through His Son:

Application: God Can Understand Us and Also Emphatise with Us

Betrayal DesertionPain Abandonment

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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

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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)

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C. PAUL TESTIFIES HOW GOD DELIVERED HIM FROM DANGER & DEATH IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRY

Application: Two Key Issues Here;

1. There is No Premature Death for a Christian

2. Severe Trials is a Double Edged Sword Because it Can Make Us:

Spiritually Bitter

Spiritually Better

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CONCLUSION

What is the Spiritual Method for Overcoming Adversities in Life?

See James 1: 2 - 4