Comfort & Affliction II, Various & 11 Cor 7:4-5

Comfort and Affliction II

Various II Cor 7:4-5

This is the second message within the theme of comfort and affliction. There are likely two more. Last week we surveyed the idea of comfort from a series of observations on 2 Corinthians 1. Today, I want to look at the other side of the issue--from the side of affliction.

As I said last week, suffering, or being afflicted to some degree is part of our vocation as believers. It is part of our job as we live in the world to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ. Most of us haven't experienced the fullness of this, but have only a taste. Yet, in many places on the earth, there is a great cost to be a follower of Jesus. ISIS is killing Christians and burning churches in the name of Islam. There are places in India where the Christian minorities are suffering for their faith. Just this past Sunday, Christians in Pakistan were harassed by local thugs while they were minding their Lord's business while worshipping Him.

The Apostle told Timothy that all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Where the differences are black and white, and believers seek to be faithful, they stand out. In the West, many Christians want to blend in with the world. I love the question, "If you were hauled before a tribunal of any sort for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Do people hear you talking about Jesus? Do people around you know you want to live to glorify God? Do people who know you best realized you profess to love Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength? Do your neighbors know they can count on you because you love them in a self-sacrificing way? Do they know what you really treasure? That is what it is to believe and to be a part of the Kingdom of God--it is a pearl of great price that to possess is worth selling everything else in order to have a part in it. It is a radical calling that seeks first the kingdom of God (matt 6:33) and a life that seeks to glorify God in all things and in every way. What kind of evidence is there to show your commitment?

Consider the Apostle Paul and his band of attendants. We skipped over many places in the Thessalonian epistles where affliction and suffering were mentioned. We mentioned it in passing and I hope in a balanced way. But, here in this book, we are forced to focus on it in a number of places. There are at least 8 more places where affliction or suffering or trouble is mentioned. It is one of, if not the most, important theme in the entire letter. I want to look at some of what Paul says about this in this letter. Some of it might surprise you. Especially in the context of what Paul represents from his past life.

Looking at the Apostle and Affliction, we discover a number of important truths that have application to us today. Turn to Chapter 4. We will begin reading in verse 7:

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 

8 We areafflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 

11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 

15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

A few observations:

Verse 15 reminds us of one of last week's observations, that suffering is often for the good of others. Here it is called a grace--it is the grace of suffering or the grace of affliction. It is intended to have such a positive effect in us that it is considered an undeserved favor given to us. Why is it grace? Well, a number of reasons were implicit in the message last week. It is for our ultimate good, it is to glorify God, it is to show that God is good as he works in his people and delivers them. It is a supernatural means to bring about our growth in God's grace.

But, not just for you, but, as the text reads, " so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. ”

One of its intents is to make people thankful. Remember that next time you are up to your neck in difficulty--it isn't an easy thing to do.

We naturally lose heart. But, we don't have to. God can do a supernatural work in us with and through the afflictions of life. Surely, it wears out our outer man. Than man that is dying anyway. It is the inner man--who we are on the inside in our heart of hearts that is being renewed--and the context is being renewed, in part, by afflictions.

Deep in the recesses of all we have learned, we come to our senses and realize any and all of our afflictions are really and truly " light momentary afflictions." The worst of them are but " light momentary afflictions." Look at verse 17.

These are important and deep lessons for the mature believer to realize. These are the outcomes of affliction: preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 

The earthly afflictions prepare us to think in heavenly ways. They are without comparison--the afflictions of this life make us cry out for God's strength and in His time for deliverance. What we think is so hard and grevious in this life is in reality next to nothing when we consider eternity.

Consider eternity with me in two ways. First for the believer and then for the unbeliever. The believer: once we are brought into the presence of God, we will be there forever. Rev 21:4 tells us about life in the new heavens and the new earth. SO much of our exoestence then can only be explained by what will not be our experience-- He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." That will be part of our experience in the presence of God forever. I believe what we have here is true of heaven itself in the presence of Jesus even before the new heavens and the new earth.

For the believer, the worst things in this life are the only taste of affliction we will ever taste. We will be kept from wrath and saved from Hell. This is all by God's grace.

But, for the unbeliever, this earthly existence full of affliction, suffering and trouble is the best they will ever know. This is the only taste of the presence of God they will ever taste and so much of it is wrapped up with the effects of sin. We don't have God to blame for our difficulties; we have our forfathers going all the way back to, and especially, Adam and his first sin that plunged the whole world, including all of the human race into sin. We are sinners by nature. We cannot stop sinning on our own. Therefore we are also sinners by choice. Since all men and women are sinners, we add to the misery of life in the here and now.

SO, we don't look to what we have here on the earth, we look for and long for what has been promised when we will be in the presence of God forever. Paul wrote:

18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Life ought to be lived in a way that is incomprehensible to many. We look to those things that are unseen starting with God, his grace, his love, his salvation and deliverance from sin. These are the start of the list of eternal realities.

When we consider what is already ours by virtue of the work of God in Christ for us and by his Spirit in us, we should be more heavenly minded. The afflictions of this world can hardly be compared to the glory that will be ours one day. Yet, the mundane of this world gets so much of our attention. Even death takes on new meaning--for the believer, it is the ordinary means used to take us home to be in the presence of God for ever--eternal is often conveyed in the original language as life of the ages. It is wonderful picture. There are only two more ages to come, the NT calls them, this age and the age to come. As long as that eternal age shall exist, we will be in the presence of God. And, that age will never end.

Afflictions are real, but they need not cripple us in our emotions or in our spiritual life. When we wonder what God is doing--remind yourself or others that God is working an exceeding weight of glory in you light momentary afflictions. Suffering is designed to make us long for heaven.

Many believers, when they sense death is close, will profess that they are ready to go home. That is the way it ought to be. It would be better for us if our lives were chained to heaven than tied to life down here. That isn't to say neglect your calling and avocations; it is to remind you of where our hearts ought to be. We love our families, we love our friends, especially the church ones, but there is something about loving the Lord that desires to be in his presence--in his timing.

Affliction is any form of suffering. It comes upon us quickly at times and at other times it is the effect of processes that have been active for some time. Considering what shall be ours in an unending eternity, all suffering is a light momentary affliction.

When my kidney kicks out a stone and I am writhing in pain, I need to remember that by God's grace, this too shall pass, and that it is but a light momentary affliction--a real affliction--but a light momentary one. The reality is, even if it is the means to change my address from the earth to heaven, considering that it is ushering me into the presence of the one who gave his life for me--it is a blessed thing. Even if thugs should come through the door and attack this church, shooting me because I am the man upfront preaching and praying, they do me a favor, in the sense of grace, by sending me home to be with the Lord. Would that still be a henious crime worthy of vigorous prosecution? I hope so. But by and through that act of sin, someone would send me to the presence of the Lord, forever. Even death, which includes suffering, is a light momentary affliction.

Earthly things are here today and gone tomorrow. Eternal realities will never go away. We can trust that to the fullest.  The promise of salvation is eternal life to all who believe. Will you believe in this Jesus? Cry out to Him for his mercy and grace.