The God of All Comfort

The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible was created to provide pastors and teachers a comprehensive commentary that equips them with everything they need to preach and teach God’s Word. In this post, we want to share with you some of the content included in this resource to help you see how the Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible can be a great product to consider using in the Olive Tree app as you prepare to preach and teach God’s Word. We’ll start by sharing some of the content included in this resource from 2 Corinthians 1:3–11.

Introduction and Outline

Suffering has always posed a problem for man. It may be disease, accident, trial, temptation, abuse, death—no matter what the suffering is, every person who suffers wonders, “Why me? Why do I have to suffer this affliction?” Suffering is the great discussion of this passage: “God and Suffering.”

1. God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (v. 3).
2. God provides comfort equal to the sufferings—so that the sufferer might be a testimony to others (v. 4).
3. God provides comfort equal to the sufferings (v. 5).
4. God uses suffering to stir other believers (vv. 6–7).
5. God uses suffering to teach trust (vv. 8–10).
6. God uses suffering to teach prayer and thanksgiving (v. 11).

It’s easy to see from the outline for this passage that God is the source of comfort, that he provides comfort when his people suffer, and that he uses their sufferings to encourage them to trust him when life is difficult.

1. Suffering—Mercy—Comfort—God, Nature: God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.

a. The word mercies (oiktirmon) means compassion, pity, and mercy. It means looking upon people in need and having compassion and mercy upon them.

⇒ Note that God is not the God of mercies but the Father of mercies. His very nature and behavior toward us is that of a Father, not of a God. He is our Father, a Father who is merciful and compassionate, and who showers His mercies and compassions upon us.

⇒ Note that the word mercies is plural. God does not show mercy just once, nor just here and there. God showers His mercies upon us continuously (see Ro. 12:1; Ph. 2:1; Col. 3:12; He. 10:28).

b. The word comfort (parakleseos) means to be by the side of another; to relieve and support; to give solace, consolation, and encouragement. But there is always an underlying meaning to the word. There is the idea of strength, an enablement, a confidence. It consoles and relieves a person, but it strengthens him at the same time. It charges a person to go out and face the world. Note the word is used ten times in 2 Co. 1:3–7.

⇒ Note that the word comfort (parakleseos) is the same word that is used for the Holy Spirit (paraklete). The Holy Spirit is given the title The Comforter by Christ.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

(Jn. 14:15–18)

c. How do we know God is like this? How do we know that God is “the Father of mercies” and the “God of all comfort”? Because of Jesus Christ. God is “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It was God…

• who “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16)
• who demonstrated “his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Ro. 5:8)

A father could show no greater mercy than to give the life of his son to save others. This is exactly what God did: He gave Christ to die for His enemies, for those who were in rebellion against Him. God has had mercy upon us, and He continues to have mercy upon us. He continues to pour out His mercy and comfort upon men. Why? Because of His nature: His very nature is that of a Father—a Father of mercies and a God of all comfort.

2. Suffering—Affliction—Trials—Trouble—Comfort: God comforts the sufferer so that he might be a testimony to other sufferers.

a. The word tribulation (thlipsei) means to be weighed down exceedingly; to be pressed and crushed. It is the picture of a beast of burden being crushed beneath a load that is just too heavy. It is the picture of a person having a heavy weight placed on his breast and being pressed and crushed to the point that he feels he is going to die. Note the word is used four times in 2 Co. 1:3–7.

b. Note the words “us” and “all tribulation.” Paul is not only talking about his own trials and sufferings, but about ours as well. God comforts us all—all believers. He does not have favorites; His mercies and comfort are for everyone. And note: He comforts us in “all,” not in just a few of our trials and sufferings. We do not have to bear a single trial or moment of suffering by ourselves. Our Father—the Sovereign Majesty of the universe who controls all—is not off in the distance someplace far removed from us. His Spirit, the precious Holy Spirit, is right here with us to comfort us in all our suffering.

⇒ God’s purpose in comforting us is to make us a testimony to others.

⇒ God comforts us so that we can comfort others who are suffering.

⇒ God carries us through trials so that we can carry others through trials.

⇒ God strengthens us so that we can strengthen others.

⇒ God helps us so that we can help others.

⇒ God encourages us so that we can encourage others.

3. Suffering—Trials—Comfort: God matches the comfort to equal the sufferings.

Note that the sufferings being stressed are “the sufferings of Christ,” that is, the very kind of sufferings which Christ Himself bore. What kind of sufferings did Christ bear? Very simply, Christ bore every kind of suffering imaginable, even the suffering of death. He had to experience every situation, condition, and trial of man in order to become the Perfect Sympathizer or Savior. For this reason, He experienced the most humiliating experiences possible. He experienced…

Note that each of these experiences reaches the depth of humiliation. Christ stooped to the lowest point of human experience in every condition in order to become the Perfect Sympathizer (Savior). He can now identify with and feel for any person’s circumstances.

“For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.”

(He. 2:16–18)

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

(He. 4:15–16)

The point is this: no matter what the suffering is nor how terrible it may be, God showers us with the comfort of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He does not just give us some strength and comfort to bear the suffering; He gives us all the strength and comfort necessary to handle all the suffering. There are no trials too great, no pressures too heavy, that God cannot match them with the comfort of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ has borne every trial and suffering for us.

Pick Up the Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible Today

As you can see, the Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible contains some great content to help equip you with preaching and teaching God’s Word. The outlines, commentary, significant word notes, and deeper insights provide enough material for you to grasp the meaning of the passage and think through its implication for your life and the lives of your listeners. Add this product to your Olive Tree Library today and start using it to prepare for your next sermon!