Despaired Even of Life - Study 1/26/12
Despaired Even of Life
Why do bad things happen to God’s people? This is the age old question everyone asks and there are no easy answers. The simplest answer is that bad things happen for a reason. Apostle Paul opens his heart in the beginning of this second letter to the Corinthians and to the rest of the body of Christ (regions of Achaia and beyond). We look and we see scores of hardship in our own lives and the lives of people around us. We see the family whom both wife and husband have lost their jobs and they have five children. We also see those even with good jobs and having money to spend meet their doom even in prosperity.
This week we have been saturated with the news of the Costa Concordia cruise ship that hit the rocks in an Island off of Italy. Many in the ship who survived can relate to what Paul is talking about, “the sentence of death”, the profound feeling that there is no hope, “despaired even of life”. Listen to one survivor named Michelle, “the lifeboat was awful overflowing and people just kept coming in and getting it to the water was horrifying, people falling everywhere. The crew had no idea what to do and the order to evacuate took wayyyyyy too long “. So far up to 16 people have not been accounted for and 16 confirmed dead. There were about 4200 passengers/crew on board.
We all have own personal stories of horror, or life threatening event such as sickness, divorce, dealing with unfaithful spouse, way ward son or daughter and so on. Once, I was in a car accident with my wife and I thought as it happened that life was over. Why do we suffer even as believers in Christ? We need a balanced theology on suffering and hardship. On one extreme some would even rebuke the devil for a passing fly that touches on them saying it is not supposed to be because they are Christians. On the other extreme are those acknowledge suffering but blame God for all their suffering. Let’s study and learn from Paul’s experience on how to view suffering especially while doing God’s will.
2 Corinthians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Paul has extended his usual greetings to the Corinthians, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. We gave more attention to “grace” in our last study. Grace being the good will and favor of God which He gives us in order to be saved and to live daily the sanctified life until we meet him face to face. The “peace’ is the consequence of God’s grace and goes hand in with grace. I have wondered and asked, “Is it possible that some times we do not experience God’s peace because we have switched our living by grace to only living by our performance in our relationship with God? Many would agree that salvation begins by God’s grace but refuse to extend that grace to our daily living. We end up measuring our right relationship with God based on our performance and on activities. We feel guilty and lack peace when we are not performing and taking credit for our accomplishments. Pride will cause to take the praise instead of giving God the glory. Let’s recover God’s grace and allow it to abound in our lives on a daily basis.
2. Paul introduces again the Corinthians and us to our common Father implying that Church is a family affair. He is saying we are all in these together. Our father is the God of Comfort and compassion. God will not be the God of comfort and compassion if he were the originator of everything that requires comfort and compassion for us. He may allow it but He is not a Father that goes around rejoicing and celebrating the sufferings of His children. Rather He comforts us by sending people to comfort us. Those who have been through hardships and suffering can now comfort others. My heart goes out for couples who are going through infertility and barrenness. God helped us survive it after fifteen years of waiting to have Jonathan. We can now encourage other couples and pray with them.
3. But why do we suffer and go through hard times? We see it in Paul’s statement. Paul was trying to level with the Corinthians so they would not think he is a super apostle above the ordinaries of life. “If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer”. He also says, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. Vs. 8-9” Paul did not give the details of the hardship but some think he is recounting his experience in the riot at Ephesus as recorded in Acts 19: 11-41. (Please check it out)
4. In verses 8 and 9 we see Paul and his companies coming to the end of the rope – “under great pressure far beyond our ability to endure” Have you been there? Have you lost hope and been under the sentence of death? Paul is saying that the PURPOSE is that “WE MIGHT RELY ON GOD”. When all hope of self effort is gone we do not have any other choice than to rely on God. Pressure, suffering and hardships are really our friends to drive us to the loving arms of our Father God. Even Jesus and Apostle James speak of it. 2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” James 1:2- 4. Our Lord Jesus tells us, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will[a] have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” John16:33.
5. God delivers us and will continue to deliver us. You have to be in the midst of the storm to be delivered. We must embrace the storms of life and allow God the opportunity to pour out His grace and save us in the same way that He saved us from the bondage of sin and death. The psalmist put it this way, “As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” Psalm 103:13-14.
6. Why is Paul sharing these truths with the Corinthians? He wants to level with the Corinthians and make them feel comfortable with him because of the first Letter and also for things that have transpired since then. Paul wants them to know that we all need each other and should pray for each other. Listen to Paul. “On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many” vs. 10-11. Paul believed in prayer and the prayer of the body of Christ. All of these are to generate praise and glory to our God. God is in the process of our suffering and He is at work in us.
Are you about to lose hope or have already lost hope in your present circumstances? May you and I know that all we have to do is rely on God who even raises the dead. Paul felt that the circumstances he survived were almost equivalent to being raised from dead. Yes, you may considered it already dead but allow God to raise you from dead in the circumstances. Be encouraged today by God Himself.
Lord, I thank you for all the difficult circumstances that have come my way. Lord I see that you love and have compassion on me even in these circumstances. Thank you for delivering me and for continuing to deliver me in all of my circumstances. Lord, help me to only look to you and rely and trust you that you will never leave me nor forsake me. Thank you for your grace and peace abounding in my live. Help me to be an encourager and comforter on your behalf this day. Amen.
Please call or send email to someone to encourage, comfort and pray for them today.
Please join us in room C114 @ 12 Noon as we study the 2nd Letter of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians.
Why do bad things happen to God’s people? This is the age old question everyone asks and there are no easy answers. The simplest answer is that bad things happen for a reason. Apostle Paul opens his heart in the beginning of this second letter to the Corinthians and to the rest of the body of Christ (regions of Achaia and beyond). We look and we see scores of hardship in our own lives and the lives of people around us. We see the family whom both wife and husband have lost their jobs and they have five children. We also see those even with good jobs and having money to spend meet their doom even in prosperity.
This week we have been saturated with the news of the Costa Concordia cruise ship that hit the rocks in an Island off of Italy. Many in the ship who survived can relate to what Paul is talking about, “the sentence of death”, the profound feeling that there is no hope, “despaired even of life”. Listen to one survivor named Michelle, “the lifeboat was awful overflowing and people just kept coming in and getting it to the water was horrifying, people falling everywhere. The crew had no idea what to do and the order to evacuate took wayyyyyy too long “. So far up to 16 people have not been accounted for and 16 confirmed dead. There were about 4200 passengers/crew on board.
We all have own personal stories of horror, or life threatening event such as sickness, divorce, dealing with unfaithful spouse, way ward son or daughter and so on. Once, I was in a car accident with my wife and I thought as it happened that life was over. Why do we suffer even as believers in Christ? We need a balanced theology on suffering and hardship. On one extreme some would even rebuke the devil for a passing fly that touches on them saying it is not supposed to be because they are Christians. On the other extreme are those acknowledge suffering but blame God for all their suffering. Let’s study and learn from Paul’s experience on how to view suffering especially while doing God’s will.
2 Corinthians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Paul has extended his usual greetings to the Corinthians, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. We gave more attention to “grace” in our last study. Grace being the good will and favor of God which He gives us in order to be saved and to live daily the sanctified life until we meet him face to face. The “peace’ is the consequence of God’s grace and goes hand in with grace. I have wondered and asked, “Is it possible that some times we do not experience God’s peace because we have switched our living by grace to only living by our performance in our relationship with God? Many would agree that salvation begins by God’s grace but refuse to extend that grace to our daily living. We end up measuring our right relationship with God based on our performance and on activities. We feel guilty and lack peace when we are not performing and taking credit for our accomplishments. Pride will cause to take the praise instead of giving God the glory. Let’s recover God’s grace and allow it to abound in our lives on a daily basis.
2. Paul introduces again the Corinthians and us to our common Father implying that Church is a family affair. He is saying we are all in these together. Our father is the God of Comfort and compassion. God will not be the God of comfort and compassion if he were the originator of everything that requires comfort and compassion for us. He may allow it but He is not a Father that goes around rejoicing and celebrating the sufferings of His children. Rather He comforts us by sending people to comfort us. Those who have been through hardships and suffering can now comfort others. My heart goes out for couples who are going through infertility and barrenness. God helped us survive it after fifteen years of waiting to have Jonathan. We can now encourage other couples and pray with them.
3. But why do we suffer and go through hard times? We see it in Paul’s statement. Paul was trying to level with the Corinthians so they would not think he is a super apostle above the ordinaries of life. “If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer”. He also says, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. Vs. 8-9” Paul did not give the details of the hardship but some think he is recounting his experience in the riot at Ephesus as recorded in Acts 19: 11-41. (Please check it out)
4. In verses 8 and 9 we see Paul and his companies coming to the end of the rope – “under great pressure far beyond our ability to endure” Have you been there? Have you lost hope and been under the sentence of death? Paul is saying that the PURPOSE is that “WE MIGHT RELY ON GOD”. When all hope of self effort is gone we do not have any other choice than to rely on God. Pressure, suffering and hardships are really our friends to drive us to the loving arms of our Father God. Even Jesus and Apostle James speak of it. 2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” James 1:2- 4. Our Lord Jesus tells us, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will[a] have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” John16:33.
5. God delivers us and will continue to deliver us. You have to be in the midst of the storm to be delivered. We must embrace the storms of life and allow God the opportunity to pour out His grace and save us in the same way that He saved us from the bondage of sin and death. The psalmist put it this way, “As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” Psalm 103:13-14.
6. Why is Paul sharing these truths with the Corinthians? He wants to level with the Corinthians and make them feel comfortable with him because of the first Letter and also for things that have transpired since then. Paul wants them to know that we all need each other and should pray for each other. Listen to Paul. “On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many” vs. 10-11. Paul believed in prayer and the prayer of the body of Christ. All of these are to generate praise and glory to our God. God is in the process of our suffering and He is at work in us.
Are you about to lose hope or have already lost hope in your present circumstances? May you and I know that all we have to do is rely on God who even raises the dead. Paul felt that the circumstances he survived were almost equivalent to being raised from dead. Yes, you may considered it already dead but allow God to raise you from dead in the circumstances. Be encouraged today by God Himself.
Lord, I thank you for all the difficult circumstances that have come my way. Lord I see that you love and have compassion on me even in these circumstances. Thank you for delivering me and for continuing to deliver me in all of my circumstances. Lord, help me to only look to you and rely and trust you that you will never leave me nor forsake me. Thank you for your grace and peace abounding in my live. Help me to be an encourager and comforter on your behalf this day. Amen.
Please call or send email to someone to encourage, comfort and pray for them today.
Please join us in room C114 @ 12 Noon as we study the 2nd Letter of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians.
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