GOD OF ALL COMFORT

GOD OF ALL COMFORT? Really? Why is life full of discomfort? Our common view of comfort today is based more on emotional results and deliverance than on God Himself. God has Paul write this letter for the church so that we can truly know the One who will come along side us, the GOD OF ALL COMFORT. #2corinthians #2023

Starter

• What do you tend to boast about? (out loud or in your head) What do you tend to commend others for? (out loud or in your head)

Pray

Thank you God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ that you came from heaven to earth to come along side us and bring us your comfort. Lord help us in our boasting and commending to do it about the right things in a spiritual way with gentleness, graciousness, and boldness. Would you demolish strongholds and would we demolish arguments and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey You. Would our boasting be about You and would we open our hearts to hear your commending. Amen

Study Questions

Paul, an apostle, is writing God’s word to a church just a few years old that he founded and then left to plant other churches. The church has encountered numerous problems from inside and outside the church. Other self appointed leaders have worked to undermine Paul’s influence and God’s authority so they could substitute their own. God has Paul write to deal with these issues and help the church deal with the problems they are having like holiness and hardship, generosity and church order, and their testimony to the non‐Christians around them. He wants them to know and cling to the GOD OF ALL COMFORT.

The word comfort God has Paul use is not a feeling or a deliverance from circumstances. It is the word Paraklesis which means to come along side. It is the same root word Jesus uses for the advocate and counselor the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26). God wants to come along side us through life feeling what He feels and becoming more like He is so that we can know and show others the GOD OF ALL COMFORT.

READ: 2 Corinthians 10:1-18

1. How does Paul's leadership style in 2 Corinthians 10 challenge our cultural view of leadership and authority?
   1. How did he say he was going to practically use his leadership and authority? Why?
2. Our cultural leadership styles typically involve a lot of boasting and commending? Why? How did Jesus model and teach a different way?
3. What does it look like to boast and commend in a spiritual way according to the passage?
   1. How do people twist this the spiritual way to be unspiritual?
4. What are some of the “weapons of our warfare” that we are to use to demolish strongholds?
   1. In what ways have you experienced or observed God use the “weapons of our warfare” which “are not worldly, but are powerful through God” to demolish strongholds in your own life or the lives of others?
   2. How does boasting and commending in a spiritual way help us to demolish strongholds?
   3. How can we keep our focus on spiritual battles and warfare rather than getting caught up in worldly conflicts and distractions?
5. What does it mean to take "every thought captive to obey Christ"?
   1. How does our boasting and commending in a spiritual way help?
6. What do you think Paul means by "punishing every disobedience"? How does this align with his emphasis on the “gentleness and graciousness of Christ”?
7. How does Paul's defense of his ministry challenge worldly standards of power, authority, and success?
   1. How can the teachings in this chapter guide Christians in the responsible use of and response to authority within the church?
   2. How can the principles in this chapter guide your response to leadership or authority being challenged?
8. Paul warns against those who commend themselves. How does this warning apply to believers in a modern culture that seems to demand self-promotion?
9. Paul expresses hope for the Corinthians' faith to increase and gospel influence to expand to unreached places. How can this perspective inform your understanding of Christian growth and mission?
10. How do you think Paul's critique of those who measure themselves by one another, typically thorough boasting and commending, apply to the use of social media?
    1. How can you practically ensure that you do boast and commend but that your boasting and commending is in the Lord?