2 Corinthians 1v1-7
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 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. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. (ESV)
Background:
Paul was saying to the Corinthians that they were going to experience suffering. However, Paul was telling them that their hope is unshaken and unshakable. What are the foundations of this hope? Paul calls God the Father of mercies and comfort. This comfort rests on concrete and real facts. The Psalms tell us the Lord is near to the broken-hearted (see Rom. 8:38-39) – an unshakable hope.
The Foundations of Paul’s Hope:
- The Will of God (v1)We need to know the sovereignty of God and the will of God which gave Paul hope. God is in control! You need to tell yourself “I am what I am by the will of my God.” That will give you hope, knowing that God’s will is perfect.
- The Work of God (v2-7)
a) The Church – Paul speaks to all the saints in the Church. As a community we must look after and comfort each other during times of affliction (see Gal. 6:2). We need to build relationships and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, knowing that He is the solution.
b) The Cross – the work God does on the cross. Notice the Cross! The peace made and the grace bestowed were the result of the cross of Golgotha (see Eph. 2:8-9, Phil. 4:6-7, Rom. 5:8). We need to pray right, think right and do the right things. This grace all flows from the cross where Christ died for us.
c) The Comfort – the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.
(i) The person of our comfort – the Father of mercy, our Heavenly Father.
(ii) The persistence of our comfort – He never lets up and comforts us in all our afflictions.
(iii) The purpose of our comfort – so that we can comfort those who are in any affliction (1 Thes. 4:18).
(iv) The perspective of our comfort – as we share in Christ’s sufferings, we share in His comfort.
(v) The power of our comfort – a hope unshakeable (Heb. 6:19; Rom. 15:14; Phil. 4:13)
Beloved, what we need in afflictions of life is unshakeable hope. The foundations of Paul’s unshakeable hope is the will and the work of the God of all comfort, knowing that He is in control and is building His Church, having once suffered in our place on the cross.