These are my notes from this DVD-driven Bible study. A more in-depth study is provided in Kelly Minter's weekly workbook. I would encourage you to purchase this workbook to dive deeper into the 2 Corinthians chapters. Kelly gives amazing insight into 2 Corinthians in the workbook you will not want to miss.
Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-11.
Notice firstly, "Father of compassion." The Greek word for this word "compassion" is oyktirmos - the seat of our emotions. The bowels of our emotions. This is how God feels about us. He's the source of this compassion.
Secondly, notice the word "comfort." The Greek word for this is paraklesis. The God who helps you. It's like God is saying "you can do it."
We tend to forget these two words in our suffering, in our troubles.
When we are suffering, Kelly says, "everything is below the clouds. We've got to get the ice off of our wings for us to see above the clouds." (referring to an airplane story she told).
How do we get the "ice" off of our wings?
- Go to God's Word
- What does He say about suffering?
When we do this, we get to see what God sees.
What does Paul say about Christian suffering:
Suffering is never without purpose.
As believers, we don't suffer as the world suffers. Verse 4 says "we comfort others with the comfort we've received.
It's not the suffering that makes you a good comforter, Kelly says, rather it's the comfort you receive from Jesus in the midst of your suffering that makes you a good comforter.
Verse 6 says "it creates in us a patient endurance." This is not a valued quality in our culture, says Kelly.
Look at Romans 5:3-5 - there's a chain reaction here. How about Hebrews 5:8. Jesus learned obedience through suffering. Have we?
In 2 Corinthians 1:9, we shift from relying on ourselves to relying on God. Suffering can get us to the end of ourselves rather quickly. We run out of our resources and must rely on God's resources.
Suffering never flows apart from God's comfort.
In verse 5, abundance in suffering but also abundance in comfort.
They flow together. Are we receiving the comfort God offers?
Suffering connects us to others in ways no other experience can.
Verse 7 - we share in each others sufferings. Look also at I Corinthians 12:26 "and if one member suffers, all the parts share the suffering". We have a deeper empathy with others. When we've gone through similar sufferings, use that investment of suffering to reach out to someone else.
Suffering is the means to a unique sharing in relationship with Jesus.
Philippians 3:10 "so that I may know Him (becoming more thoroughly acquainted) with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings"....
Through Christ our comfort overflows (2 Corinthians 1:5):
- Sufferings flow over us into our lives
- Comfort of God flows through Jesus into our lives
Next Session 3: "A New Ministry"
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