2 Corinthians 7:4-7 – Borrowed Comfort – Bible study

2Corinthians 7:4-7 Borrowed Comfort Notice how Paul described his life. In \#5\, there were troubles on every side. That was no exaggeration. Everywhere Paul went, Paul was met with hostility. The nicer people wanted him beaten and gone, but the not so nice People wanted him dead. That is just the outside. On the inside was fear. I do not believe Paul was afraid of what man might do to him. If he was, he would have quit. I believe he had fears for what was going on inside the churches and lives of those in which he had influence. He spoke specifically of this again later: 2Cor 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. So we find in \#5\ that Paul had a difficult life, but we find out in \#6\, that God comforted him. How? Well, the reference here is to borrowed comfort. It came with Titus from Titus last visit with the Corinthians. Paul said in \#7\ that Titus got the comfort from the Corinthians. So Paul was comforted with the comfort Titus had gotten while there. So this was not Pauls comfort. It was Titus comfort. Titus has been encouraged by the repentance and obedience that the shown while Titus was there, but Paul was going to borrow itand by the waythat is all right! You can tell in this letter that Pauls spirit was lighter and his heart was merrier. Interestingly, this borrowed comfort did not actually change much in Pauls life. The people that wanted Paul to move along still wanted him to move along and the people that wanted Paul did still wanted Paul did. And Paul still had the responsibilities of the other churches and Christians who depended upon him. Comfort is not solution. It is a spirit-lifter. Some people use the fact that comfort doesnt change their circumstances as an excuse to reject. It is obvious. They not only want their problems, but they want to be miserable in them. I hope that isnt you. I think it is better if I must have problems to also have comfort with them. I believe I would rather feel better in whatever problems I have than to wallow in self-pity Tonight, I warn you that I probably cant solve of problems, but maybe I can give you some comfort. Tonight, I want to talk to you about how to Borrowed Comfort. I. Quit carry anothers troubles. A. Some people look for other peoples burdens, troubleseven angerto carry. 1. By that, I mean someone else got hurt and they are going to be offended either with them or, in some cases, for them. 2. Or someone else is mad at so-and-so, and they are going to get bitter with them. 3. Dont do that. B. Carrying someone elses troubles does not help anyone and it makes everyone worse off. C. I see five ways you carrying another persons troubles hurts. 1. When you take someone elses troubles like that, you duplicate their load. a. It would be wonderful if by you carrying someone elses troubles, you lessened their load; but you dont. b. Now instead of one person being angry, there are two. c. Instead of one person being sad, there are two. d. Instead of one person being hurt, there are two. e. Instead of one person lying awake at night, there are two. 2. Even worse, when you take someone elses troubles like that, most of the time you ADD to their load. a. When two people carry the same unrighteous load, they end up feeding off of each others anger, hurt, or trouble. b. I dont care what you feed, feed makes it grow. c. So instead of helping your friend to heal, you wind up keeping it going! 3. When carrying someone elses hurt, you cant get their grace. a. God gives grace for every burden, trouble, sorrow, problem, hurteven anger; but He only gives it to the person whose trouble it is. 1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto ME. b. Grace is personal and personalized. c. God will give a friend the grace to help; but He will only give the person who is supposed to bear the burden the grace to bear the burden. 4. Your carrying their trouble without Gods grace may actually give them the illusion that they can carry their problem without Gods grace. a. They cant! b. Gods grace does two things: (1) It strengthens them to carry the load. (2) It teaches them how to carry the load so they dont hurt themselves. c. If they dont take Gods grace, they wont be able to carry the burden and they wont know how to carry it. d. Again, while you may think you are helping them by being angry, hurt, bitter, worried, despondent, and whatever; you are actually hurting them! 5. You just made yourself miserable for nothing. You did not help anyone and you probably hurt in ways that only God will understand. D. Understand, I am not saying to ignore or forsake those with troubles, burdens, or hurts. 1. We are Christians. We want to comfort those who are hurting, but you do not comfort people by carrying their troubles. 2. How do you comfort? It is a three step process: a. First you care. (1) That involves getting involved. (2) It involves listening. Crying with them. Putting your arm around them. Being with them. b. Then you pray. (1) This is always the next step. (2) You pray for them and you pray for those involved in the situation and you pray for you to have wisdom and to know what to do. c. Then you help. (1) You do what the Holy Ghost tells you to do. (2) The Holy Ghost will never tell you to get mad at whoever they are mad at or to get hurt over whatever is hurting them or worry about whatever they are worrying about. (3) The Holy Ghost will NEVER do that. He will never tell you to carry their trouble, hurt, or worry with you. E. So if you need comfort tonight, you need to ask yourself, "Are the hurts, troubles, and burdens that I am carrying actually mine to carry?" 1. If they are not, go back to CPH, Care, Pray, and Help as God leads you to help. 2. But I do not want to talk about how you can help someone else tonight. 3. I want to talk about what else you can do to help yourself. II. Let God comfort you. 1Cor 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down. A. The greatest Source of comfort for a Christian is God. That is true no matter what troubles you are carrying. B. This is another of the many ministries of the Holy Ghost. 1. If the Holy Ghost does not comfort, our whole Bible is a lie. a. Jesus promised us a Comforter. John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; b. Jesus told us who the Comforter would be. John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. c. Jesus excused Himself so that the Comforter could come. John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 2. Either the Comforter came or He did not. a. If He did not, you cannot be saved because it is His ministry to draw you. b. If He did, then the same Holy Ghost who brought you to a saving knowledge in Jesus Christ can comfort you. C. For anyone else to comfort you, you must let them. 1. The same is true of the Holy Spirit. 2. Another list of five things to do if you want His comfort. a. Sacrifice your own desires. b. Dont dwell on the hurt. c. Look for a Gods purpose. d. Seek Gods presence. e. No matter how bad things are, practice praise and thanksgiving. III. Let God comfort you through others. A. First, God knows we are humans and we need a physical touch. 1. Even Jesus needed to hear the voice of God (3x) \#Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, John 12:28\. 2. He had angels come down to strengthen Him (2x) \#Matt 4:11, Luke 22:43\. 3. On one occasion Moses and Elijah came down to see Jesus. \#Matt 17:1-13\ B. God does not JUST give us the Holy Ghost. 1. He sends people to help us. 2. Titus was the one that God sent for Paul. 3. The problem is not that God does not send people to comfort us. The problem is we dont let them. (a) Example – There is no reason for anyone living within 8 to 10 miles of a good Bible-believing church not being comforted. (1) I know some churches are better at it than others, but I believe inside of every Bible- believing, Bible-practicing church there will be at least one who would comfort and help people if they came. (2) I am praying that there are far more than that in this church. (b) There should be, and I believe there are, comforting Christians at work, in the community, even walking around the stores that would comfort if people would give them a chance. (c) May God help us to make it so. IV. Live through the Victories of Others A. While it is wrong to borrow other peoples troubles, it is right and good to borrow other peoples victories. B. This is what Paul did with Titus. 1. Titus went to Corinth, a very difficult city and church, and God used him to accomplish a revival. 2. Paul had been several times and the problems of that church did not get better. 3. Paul was not jealous over Titus success. Paul was thankful and rejoiced in it. C. Every Christian is living through the victory of Jesus Christ. 1. We did not defeat sin. 2. We did not defeat the devil. 3. We did not pay sins debt. 4. We did not defeat the grave. 5. Yet, the Bible tells us to think of ourselves as if we did. Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. D. To live in Jesus victory means to say, "Yes, that may be the way it is today; but one day, I will be like completely Him." 1. sickness 2. pain 3. regret 4. abandonment E. However, even on a lesser scale, we can live through the victories and joys of others. 1. When a soul comes to Christ 2. When a Christian gets their heart right with God 3. When a ministry is successful 4. When a smile is given V. Find the Purpose of God for Your Problems A. I am no expert on anything. At best, I am but a student of a few things. B. Even so, I rest much in: Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 1. No matter what we are going through, there must be a purpose. 2. In the message I preached this morning, I mentioned three: \See 2019Sermons on "Mark 4:35"\ a. That God might be glorified. b. That the gospel might be known. c. That my faith might be shine. 3. In observing others, I am convinced that oftentimes God is still trying to teach us some personal lessons through the trials we walk through. a. Maybe its patience. b. Maybe its to turn loose of control. c. Maybe its to learn humility, love, or appreciation. 4. What I have seen is that God NEVER quits trying to shape people into what He wants them to be. a. Many of our adulthood sins lead to the same place: loneliness and dependence. b. Sometimes they come with poverty and a weak body too. c. My point – Learn some lessons today so God may be able to spare you in the school of hard knocks in the future. d. If you are going through a hard time today, ask God if there is something you can learn through it. Id be surprised if there is not.