We've begun a very important epistle. So important is this letter to the church that respected Bible teacher, and author John MacArthur proclaimed, “A church should not ordain anyone who has not read this epistle and commentaries on this treatise” (NT Comm.; p1).
A brief overview of the passage to v7 reveals that Paul is stressing the concept of "comfort" (verb 4x; noun 6x). Indeed, this is the most eloquent passage on comfort in the entire NT.
God the Father was pleased to inflict the apostle with some of the deepest pains on record in order to draw out from him deep humility and an unshakable passion for the truth.
God used false apostles, false teachers, unrepentant recalcitrant sinners and damaging, false accusations to weaken Paul for one reason: because through his weakness and inadequacy, God was made strong and sufficient.
There is something about the pain of betrayal and being falsely accused that plunges a person into the depths of soul searching and sorting through what he knows to be true. Here, in the furnace of affliction, strong allegiances with truth are forged and strong alliances with those who seek truth are formed.
Out of the painful process emerges a passion for truth where all desire for pretense and show or people pleasing is finally abandoned. God is seen most clearly when the fire is turned up and the scales of personal opinion or preference and a carefully ‘managed' reputation are burned away.
Out of the depths of his pain and passion, Paul utters the only right response for any child of God who suffers knowing this to be God's chosen means to be glorified in them: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen
Featuring a sermon puts it on the front page of the site and is the most effective way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands including all mobile platforms + newsletter.
Text-Featuring a sermon is a less expensive way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands on the right bar with optional newsletter inclusion. As low as $30/day.
