Tribulation or Comfort

I am posting an old sermon of mine on comfort.  I hope this will be an encouragement to those who may need it.  

Tribulation or Comfort

Turn to John 14:16-18

16.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17.  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.

18.  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Comfort – what does it mean?  According to the American Heritage Dictionary, “comfort” means:

1.     To soothe in time of grief or fear, to console.

2.     To ease physically; relieve, as of pain

From the Latin com (intensive) + fortis (strong) – to be brave together.  What other word does the “fort” of comfort fit in?  Yes, fortress.  The word “fortress” tends to denote an impenetrable castle in my mind.  Before we get all soft and fuzzy on what the Holy Spirit is to be for us as our helper, intercessor and consoler, remember this root of comfort, for this is the manner from which He works. 

Going to the Greek, parakletos.  Vines defines it this way:

I.               summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid

1)    one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate

2)    one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor

a)     of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins

3)    in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant

Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Jesus said he was with us “alway, even unto the end of the world.”  But, he in leaving the world bodily, left us a paracletos.  Remember he said “another comforter”, meaning we now have two.  Our new comforter now embodies us physically. 

I Corinthians 6:19, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

That word “temple” in Greek is naos.  This Greek word denotes the Holy Place, the Holy of Holies, where God dwelled in the temple in the Old Testament.   So, we have Christ with us unto the end of the world, and the Holy Spirit living within us. 

Now turn to II Corinthians 1:3-5:

            ¶

3.  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

4.  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

5.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

The word “comfort” occurs ten times in verses 3-7.  The emphasis here is on the constancy of that comfort.  It is not to be “temporary” or “spasmodic”.  This first part of verse four could just as well read, “who always comforts us…” 

Paul also uses it as “to call to one’s side”.  What a picture this is.  One of the Holy Spirit’s roles is that of a constant friend, one who is with us during the good times, and one who is with us during the bad times.  During the bad times He has an unlimited amount of strength and power from which we can continually draw from.  What a picture!

In verse four we see that specifically we are comforted in tribulation.  How this is done it does not say, but it does explain why – to comfort others. 

Why do we have things happen to us?  Sometimes it seems like it is God testing our sense of humor.  Other times testing our pain limits, other times it makes no sense at all to us.  Each of us can point to a time in our lives, or multiple times, that we to this day do not fully understand the “why” of something happening.  It is probably this side of heaven we will not understand, but over time some do become clear. 

Most of the pain we go through is designed to teach us, open our eyes.  Divorce has allowed me to see the pain in a divorced person’s fact.  Before I had judged them or avoided them.  Now I see clearly. 

Here is another example some parents will understand. 

Before children – time in a restaurant was unbearable if someone had a child who would not stop crying. 

After children – you appreciate the parent that tries to keep the kid quiet, and it is not as loud or distracting as it used to be.  I can now travel on an airplane and sit by a parent and small child and still enjoy the ride.  No, I am not special, just a veteran of children. 

What we learn is to help others.  Think of those around you and those you meet, get off the focus on your pain and you will be amazed at what God can do. 

In verse 5, the word “aboundeth” means “to provide superabundance.”  It is used in Matthew 4:20 to describe the leftover fragments “over and above” what everyone had eaten.  Again God gives us an amazing picture of consolation overflowing our needs. 

As the sufferings as a Christian come in abundance, so does the comfort to deal with the suffering – in power.  The problem, we as “busy” Christians do not take the time to keep our hearts right before God, thus turning off much of what we could be afforded.  Or, for those that do not experience suffering, it is because we do not live for Christ.  You have to receive wages, and the picture is similar here. 

We have all heard about how Joshua took Jericho, and how that took faith.  I would challenge what happened quite before.  Consider the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant, and told to step into the raging, flooding Jordan river.  All of Jericho was watching them, knowing no enemy had ever made it across the river.  The banks do not roll gently into the Jordan, they are steep.  The priests were told to step into the river.  Now, do you think the two guys in front were not trying to get to the rear?  Whether they did or just thought it, those who took that first step had true faith.  That faith was rewarded, but the key was they took the step. 

Many ask about “why” we have to suffer.  Here is the bottom line for you to ponder:  If you have never experienced God’s comfort in your daily life dealing with your challenges and hurts, how can you ever pass this experience and coaching on to others who need it?  Yes, this suffering qualifies us to the ministry. 

I Peter 4:13

            But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.