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2 Corinthians Chapter One

 
Chapter One General Review
 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
 
1) To understand the source and proper use of our comfort
 
2) To appreciate the value of prayer in working with God, and in 
 producing thanksgiving in others
 
3) To see what are proper grounds for "boasting"
 
SUMMARY
 
Paul is joined by Timothy as he begins this epistle with greetings to
the church in Corinth, and to all the brethren in Achaia (1-2). A
feature common in Paul's epistles is to start with a few words of 
praise and/or thanksgiving, and in this epistle he includes both. He 
first praises God for the comfort offered through Christ in the midst 
of tribulation, and expresses his confidence that both the sufferings 
and comfort he receives because of Christ can work to the benefit of 
the brethren at Corinth (3-7). He then informs them of the wonderful 
deliverance God provided in Asia (perhaps referring to the "Diana 
incident" in Acts 19:23-41), telling them their prayers were 
instrumental as well, and that this will lead many people to give 
thanks (8-11).
 
Paul's first order of business after his salutation and thanksgiving is
to offer a defense of his integrity. He begins with a profession of
sincerity and simplicity, both in his conduct and his writing, and then
reminds them that they will have good reason to "boast" in each other 
when Christ comes (12-14). Evidently his sincerity had come in 
question because Paul had made a change of plans concerning his visit 
to them. Therefore he explains that his change was not due to 
fickleness, but as God and His promises in Christ are trustworthy, so 
is Paul, for God has anointed and sealed him with the Holy Spirit 
(15-22). With God as his witness, Paul states that his change of plans
was an effort to spare them. This is not to suggest Paul exercises
some sort of domination over them, for he considers himself as a fellow
worker for their joy (23-24)
 
OUTLINE
 
I. SALUTATION & THANKSGIVING (1-11)
 
 A. SALUTATION (1-2)
 1. From Paul and Timothy (1a)
 2. To the church of God at Corinth, with all the saints in Achaia
 (1b)
 3. Grace and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
 (2)
 
 B. THANKSGIVING (3-11)
 1. For comfort in the midst of affliction (3-7)
 a. From the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (3)
 b. So that we may comfort others in their trouble (4)
 c. Which like the sufferings of Christ, our comfort abounds
 through Christ, and both work for our salvation (5-7)
 2. For deliverance in Asia (8-11)
 a. Burdened beyond measure, Paul had despaired of life, and 
 was left with only his trust in God (8-9)
 b. But with the help of their prayers, God delivered him from
 death, resulting in much thanksgiving (10-11)
 
II. PAUL DEFENDS HIS INTEGRITY (12-24)
 
 A. HIS PROFESSION OF SINCERITY (12-14)
 1. In good conscience he has conducted himself with simplicity 
 and godly sincerity toward them, and continues to do so in his
 writing to them (12-13a)
 2. He hopes they understand that they have reason to boast in 
 each other when the Lord returns (13b-14)
 
 B. THE CHANGED PLAN (15-22)
 1. His original plan was visit them on his way to Macedonia, and
 to return on his way to Judea (15-16)
 2. His planning was not done lightly (17-22)
 a. It was not done according to the flesh, in an unreliable 
 manner (17)
 b. But as God is faithful, and the promises of God in Jesus 
 are reliable, so were his words to them (18-20)
 c. Indeed, Paul (along with Silvanus and Timothy) has been...
 1) Established with them in Christ and anointed by God (21)
 2) Sealed by God, and given the Spirit in their hearts as a
  deposit (22)
 
 C. REASON FOR THE DELAYED VISIT (23-24)
 1. To spare them, as God can confirm (23)
 2. This is not to suggest an attitude of domination over them,
 for he views himself as one working for their joy, and he 
  acknowledges that they stand on the basis of their faith (24)
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
 
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
 - Salutation and thanksgiving (1-11)
 - Paul defends his integrity (12-24)
 
2) Who joins Paul in writing this epistle? (1)
 - Timothy
 
3) What two groups of people does Paul address in his salutation (1)
 - The church of God at Corinth
 - All the saints who are in all Achaia (Greece)
 
4) How does Paul describe the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ?
 (3)
 - The Father of mercies and God of all comfort
 
5) What is the proper use of comfort we receive from God? (4)
 - To comfort those who are in any trouble
 
6) What two things abound in Christ? (5)
 - Sufferings
 - Consolation (comfort)
 
7) Where had Paul experienced some trouble? How serious was it? (8-9)
 - In Asia (modern day Turkey)
 - Such that he despaired of life, and could only trust in God who 
 raises the dead
 
8) What had worked together with God in providing deliverance? What
 other effect did it have? (11)
 - Their prayers for him
 - Thanksgiving to be given by many people on his behalf
 
9) In what could Paul "boast"? (12)
 - The clear conscience that his conduct in the world was with 
 simplicity and godly sincerity
 
10) What could Paul and the brethren in Corinth look forward to 
 boasting in, when Christ comes again? (14)
 - Each other
 
11) What appears to be the reason Paul's integrity was in question?
 (15-17)
 - A change of plans in visiting them
 
12) Paul professes that his word is as faithful as what two things? 
 (18-20)
 - God
 - The promises of God in Christ
 
13) What assurances does Paul offer that he is faithful? (21-22)
 - That God has established and anointed him, and sealed him by 
 giving him the Holy Spirit in his heart as a deposit
 
14) Why had Paul changed his plans about coming to Corinth? (23)
 - To spare them

True Comfort (1:1-3)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. Have you ever known people who despite tragedy were able to offer
 comfort to others?
 a. I know a woman who within two years lost her husband, her father,
 and her two sons
 b. Yet when I saw her at the funeral of the last one to die, I was
 impressed by the way...
 1) She graciously went around welcoming those who came to pay
 their respects
 2) She offered comfort to others, when you would think she would
 be the one needing it
 
2. On the other hand, some people are devastated by personal 
 hardships...
 a. They find no peace, no consolation
 b. They certainly are in no position to help others
 
3. What is the difference? Where do those who are able to comfort 
 others while enduring their tragedy receive the strength to help
 others?
 a. The apostle Paul was one individual who had learned the secret
 b. And he passed it along to us in his second letter to the
 Corinthians
 
[It is in 2 Co 1:3-5 where we learn about "True Comfort" (read). 
Note first of all regarding...]
 
I. THE SOURCE OF "TRUE COMFORT"
 
 A. MANY SEEK FOR COMFORT "IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES"...
 1. Some in thinking their problems are no worse than those of 
 others
 2. Some in thinking that things will improve
 3. Some in believing that it can't be helped
 4. Some in trying to forget
 5. Some in exciting and dissipating pleasures of the flesh
 6. Some in complaining and repining
 
 B. BUT TRUE COMFORT COMES FROM GOD...
 1. He is called the "God of all comfort" - 2 Co 1:3
 2. Why Him?
 a. Because He is also the "Father of mercies" - cf. 2 Co 1:3
 1) The term "father" implies "source"
 2) Thus He is the source of all kinds of goodness and mercy
 - cf. Ja 1:17
 b. Comfort is just one of His many mercies, and so He is 
 described as:
 1) The "God of all comfort" - 2 Co 1:3
 2) "The God of patience and comfort" - Ro 15:5
 3. As the God of ALL comfort, there is no limitation to the
 comfort He provides
 
[The source of "True Comfort", then, is God. But when does it come,
and how...?]
 
II. THE BESTOWAL OF "TRUE COMFORT"
 
 A. IT IS BESTOWED "IN ALL OUR TRIBULATION"...
 1. God comforts us when it is most needed - 2 Co 1:4
 2. As taught elsewhere, God does not desert us in time of need...
 a. "I will never leave you nor forsake you." - He 13:5b
 b. He will not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to
 bear - 1 Co 10:13
 c. Yes, even in "the valley of the shadow of death", He is 
 there to comfort us - Ps 23:4
 3. Indeed, the greater the affliction, the greater the comfort! 
 - 2 Co 1:5
 a. As the sufferings abound...
 b. ...so does the consolation!
 
 B. IT IS BESTOWED "THROUGH CHRIST"...
 1. "...so our consolation also abounds through Christ" - 2 Co 1:5
 a. Just as with all other spiritual blessings, it is found 
 only "in Christ" - Ep 1:3
 b. To receive the comfort that comes from God, then, we must 
 be "in Christ"!
 2. Being "in Christ", there are two avenues through which comfort
 is dispensed...
 a. The Word of God - cf. Ro 15:4
 b. Prayer - cf. Ph 4:6-7
 
[Actually, there is a third avenue by which the "True Comfort" God 
gives us in Christ is bestowed, but that will become apparent as we 
consider...]
 
III. THE PURPOSE OF "TRUE COMFORT"
 
 A. TO COMFORT OTHERS...
 1. "...that we may be able to comfort those who are in any 
 trouble" - 2 Co 1:4
 2. The comfort God provides through Christ is not just for our 
 private consumption
 3. "God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make 
 us comforters." - John Henry Jowett (1817-1893) 
 -- Yes, our comfort is designed to be shared!
 
 B. A CASE IN POINT...
 1. How God comforted Paul - 2 Co 7:4-7,13
 a. The Corinthians comforted Titus in the way they received
 him
 b. So comforted by the Corinthians' reception, Titus' coming
 then comforted Paul
 c. Yet Paul saw that the source of this comfort was ultimately
 from God!
 2. This reveals another avenue by which God bestows His comfort
 a. It may come DIRECTLY from God (e.g., through His Word - Ro 
 15:4)
 b. It may also come INDIRECTLY from God, through the 
 exhortations of others - cf. 1 Th 4:18
 3. Sadly, many people neglect all avenues through which God 
 offers "true comfort"
  a. They do not feed upon the Word and pray, to receive comfort
 directly
 b. Nor do they develop the network of relationships with other
 Christians, through which God might comfort them indirectly
 when needed!
 -- But when all avenues are utilized, then "true comfort" is 
 possible, and we can then pass it along!
 
[Finally, let's also notice...]
 
IV. A CONSEQUENCE OF "TRUE COMFORT"
 
 A. GRATITUDE, MINGLED WITH ADORATION...
 1. Paul began our text with these words: "Blessed be the God and
 Father..." - 2 Co 1:3
 2. It was the "true comfort" he had received that moved him to 
 praise God
 
 B. SUCH PRAISE IS ONLY NATURAL...
 1. Not only because of the comfort we have received
 2. But also because of the comfort we can now pass along to
 others!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Are you lacking in this "true comfort"?
 a. Perhaps you have been looking in the wrong places...
 1) It comes only from "the God of all comfort"
 2) And it comes only "through Christ"
 -- Are you in Christ? - cf. Ga 3:27
 b. Perhaps you are not benefiting from the comfort God gives 
 others...
 1) There are those who would be happy to share their comfort with
  you
 2) But you must be willing to develop the relationships necessary
 for such comfort to travel from them to you!
 -- Are you working on your relationship with fellow Christians? 
 - cf. Ph 2:1-5
 
2. For those who are faithful Christians, having delighted in fullness
 of "true comfort", remember these exhortations...
 a. "Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you
 also are doing." - 1 Th 5:11
 b. "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort
 the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all."
 - 1 Th 5:14
 
Do these things, and we will all experience the "true comfort" by which
we will want to say:
 
 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
 of mercies and God of all comfort..." (2 Cor 1:3)

－－《Executable Outlines》

Benefit of Suffering

Worldly Wisdom

God’s Grace

I. Comforted In Suffering

1. God Comforts Us

2. We Comfort Others

3. Three Kinds of Delivering

II. Paul Boasts on Account of the Lord

1. The Testimony of Conscience

2. Rely on God’s Grace

3. Holy in Words and Deeds

III. Explain the Reason for the Change of Itinerary

1. Confirm Itinerary

2. Always “yes”

3. The Intention to Spare