2 Corinthians 1:1-7

                                                             2 Corinthians 1:1-7

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.

All people who live on this sin cursed planet suffer.  However, as believers, we are blessed to go through sufferings with the help of the Lord and with a purpose that is greater than ourselves.  Sin leads to suffering, but in Christ there is hope and a mission that is advanced through suffering.  This is why the Scripture always equates suffering with joy because of the blessings associated with participating in the sufferings of Christ.

 

WE ARE BLESSED THROUGH THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST: Paul begins this letter as he does most of his letters with a desire for grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus.  The blessings of God’s grace and the peace that we can with God are only available to us through the work of Christ on the cross that was accomplished on our behalf.  It would be impossible for us to experience the grace of God were it not for the cross of Christ.  The only means by which peace is available to sinful men is through the sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf.  Without the sufferings of Christ, the wrath of God would be our reality.  

 

WE BLESS OTHERS BECAUSE WE SUFFER WITH CHRIST:  Since we are believers, we are blessed with the opportunity to be a blessing to others.  We receive comfort from God in the times of our afflictions.  As we grow through these times of trial, we gain experience that we can use to minister to others when they face similar circumstances.  When we suffer, it is often difficult for us to understand why we face these types of circumstances.  What we must realize is that God is using the sufferings in our lives to make us more like Jesus and to qualify us to serve the body of Christ in a more effective way.  

 

OTHERS ARE BLESSED BY SHARING SUFFERINGS IN CHRIST:  The cycle of suffering and comfort and blessing others is an unending one.  It started with Christ and continues on with successive generations.  When others suffer and we minister to them with the comfort we have experienced from Christ, they too become qualified to minister to others as we ministered to them.  It truly is a blessing to be able to bless others.  God is working in our lives and through our lives to accomplish His will and work in the world.  We are blessed to participate in this process.

 

APPLICATION: Rejoice in the grace and peace that are available to us through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Take comfort in times of suffering as we know that God is at work in our lives to make us more like Jesus and to help us serve others.  Encourage people who suffer to recognize the opportunities they have to grow through this experience.

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