No born-again child of God can act independent of other believers, neglecting their mutual responsibilities. God in His grace and mercy saves us individually, but immediately He places us in the body of Christ, the Church, 1 Cor. 12:13, 27. Thus, we are vitally linked to each member of the Church. Because of this interdependent state of the Body, it is detrimental for a member to isolate oneself from the company of God’s people, 1Cori. 12:15, 16.
Any failure in fulfilling this mutual responsibility affects the health of the Body, the Church. Moreover, such a selfish attitude is a rebellion against the Lord of the Church!
In the area of mutual obligation, encouraging and comforting one another is one of the most important instructions found in the scripture.
The meaning of exhort, encourage, and comfort
In the New Testament, we can notice that the terms ‘exhortation’, ‘encouragement’, and ‘comfort’ used interchangeably. The basic idea these words convey is someone coming alongside to counsel, console, encourage, etc. with a view to empower and equip the other, so that they may live a fruitful life.
It means to strengthen the feeble-minded, enlighten and counsel the confused, inspire and challenge the slothful, and present hope and purpose of life to the disheartened, etc. This is how God wants His people to stand with one another and be their help and support.
We can notice at least four reasons why encouraging or comforting one another is essential today.
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Outline:- 1
GOD OF ALL COMFORT
In the Old Testament God was not ashamed to be called with attaching names of patriarchs such as God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Elijah, etc., but in the New Testament God revealed Himself by attaching His nature.
There are 7 wonderful attributes such as God of glory (Acts 7:2), God of Patience (Rom 15:5), God of Peace (Rom. 15:33), God of Hope (Rom. 15:13), God of Love (2 Cor. 13:11), God of all Grace (1 Peter 5:10) and also GOD OF ALL COMFORT (2 Cor. 1:3).
There are seven ways by which a believer can be comforted.
1. The Source of all comfort, God the Father – 2 Cor 1:3
2. Christ, the Son of God, now the Man in Glory at the side of the Father is our Comforter – 2 Cor. 1:5
3. Spirit of God, dwelling in us as Comforter - John 16:7; Acts 9:31
4. Comfort through Scriptures & Sermons – Acts 15:31; Romans 15:4
5. Comfort through different Situations – 2 Cor. 1:6-11
6. Promises of His Second coming (rapture) comfort believers – 1 Thess. 4:13-18
7. Comfort by Saints & Servants – Col. 4:11; Philemon v.7; 2 Cor. 7:6,7
Yes, God is the source of all comfort, through His saints and servants’ comfort believers.
By Bro. David Manchala, Hyderabad
Outline:- 2
BE A BARNABAS!!
There are many such persons who comforted and encouraged other believers in the Scriptures. But we will look at a person whose name means ‘son of consolation’. He is Barnabas. In the early church, we read “Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the Apostles (which translated means Son of encouragement) and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostle’s feet" (Acts 4:36-37).
“Son of encouragement” which is also translated as “Son of consolation” is an apt description for this brother in the Lord. In Acts, we are told about this man in seven chapters, in all of them he is either comforting or encouraging.
1. Acts 4:36-37 – As a Believer of Lord Jesus He is comforting the poor and needy by giving generously.
2. Acts 9:26-29 - As a Disciple, he encouraged a new disciple Saul, and connected him to the Apostles.
3. Acts 11:22-26 – As a Servant of the Lord, he ministered in a newly established assembly at Antioch (Because of his unique character, Apostles sent him to a just-born assembly to encourage/console)
4. Acts 12:25 – As a Faithful steward, he along with Paul faithfully handed over collected funds to the cause of poor and needy saints in Jerusalem. What a ministry!
5. Acts 13:46-52 - As a Missionary, he consoled new souls in new places
6. Acts 14:20 – As a Co-labourer, when Paul was stoned in Lystra, Barnabas did not leave his fellow worker, he stayed and journeyed with him despite challenges
7. Acts 15:27-39 – As a Mentor, he consoled and molded the backslider John Mark (2 Timothy 4:11).
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work. 2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17
By Bro. David Manchala, Hyderabad
Anecdote: -
Crying with those who cry
A little girl came home from a neighbour’s house where her little friend had died. "Why did you go?" questioned her father. "To comfort her mother," said the child. "What could you do to comfort her?" asked the father again. She said, “I climbed into her lap and cried with her."
Source: The Story of Jesus
Exhortation: -
HOLY SPIRIT: ANOTHER COMFORTER
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor. 1:3, 4.
In our Lord’s Upper Room discourse, it is well evident that all the future hopes of the disciples were crashed combined with their uncertainty of the Master as they sensed His last moments. From the opening words of this chapter through the next two chapters, the monologue runs through a single theme – comfort and hope for the distressed disciples.
It is well befitting here then, that the Lord assures His comfort to them through none less than His equivalent personality – the Holy Spirit, from the God of all comfort, Who will come and abide with them forever. Let us look into some of the unique characteristics of this Comforter from different passages: .... >>>More
By Bro. James Raghu, Surat
Meditation: -
THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor. 1:3, 4.
There is a perennial question with most people – why do bad things happen to good people? A more poignant question would be ‘why do bad things happen to God’s people?’ After all, shouldn’t God’s children experience relatively worry-free lives even on this earth?
We may never get fully satisfactory answers to settle our curious minds, but we do have valuable pointers for these in the scriptures.
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By Tom Johns, Dallas, USA
Gospel -
Comfort in Hopelessness
There are situations in our lives where our hope of a recovery is tested, such as situations of sickness, financial and job loss, rebellious children, and many more such. However, nothing challenges our hope as death does.
Death is inevitable. If we can somehow find hope amidst death, then we can be comforted even amidst death. And if this hope is truly one that carries us beyond death, then we ourselves can face death without fear.
There are four instances we can consider from the Bible, where amidst the gloom of death, those sorrowing found comfort..... More
By Aby Kuruvilla Mumbai
Worthy Quotes:-
