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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

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 to be jealous for you and not the things of this world. Give us Godly jealousy for your bride the church to present one another pure before Christ. Protect us and show us how to recognize disguises as we protect one another from being seduced. May our boast be in your Godly jealousy toward us. 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 10:17-11:15

  1. How does this passage portray “Godly jealousy” differently than worldly prideful envy and insecurity? (see: Proverbs 14:30)
    1. How can our boasting and commending expose the jealously of our heart?
    2. How does boasting in God and finding our commending in what He says about us, others, and this world provide a strong protection against “jealousy”, “cunning”, “deception”, “seduction”, and “disguises"?
    3. How can contentment and gratitude in our lives cultivate Godly jealousy and fight ungodly jealousy?
  2. When are the times you are prone to ungodly jealousy and open to deception?
  3. God has Paul write, “For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to present a pure virgin to Christ.” God’s most used term in scripture for His people’s idolatry is “adulteress”. God says multiple times, “I am a jealous God.” (see: Deuteronomy 4:23-24, 5:8-9, 32:16-21, James 4:1-5, 1 Corinthians 10:14, 21-24) **
    1. How do you think that imagery of betrothal and marriage helps us to understand Godly jealousy verses the ungodly jealous work of the enemy?
    2. Describe if you ever felt your spirit provoked to jealousy for God by the idolatry in and around us. What can and should we do about that as Christians?
    3. Do you think the modern church’s compromise on marriage and church commitment has provoked God’s jealousy? explain
  4. It is unfortunately the case today that Christians, church leaders, and churches are not very concerned or serious about helping to present or protect people the way Paul describes in this passage.
    1. What practically does it look like when a family (biological and church) loses its pure devotion to Jesus, and instead takes on other motivations for its religious observance, boasting, and commending?
    2. How can our earthly relationships become a idol of boasting and commending that provoke God’s jealousy if we are not careful?
    3. How can “pure devotion” and “Godly jealousy” be restored from idolatry?
  5. How does Paul say that the Corinthians were being deceived?
    1. What are the deceptive and “cunning” ways that our culture and unfortunately even our American Christian subculture can “seduce” us “from a complete and pure devotion to Christ?”
  6. God throughout scripture and in this passage warns clearly and specifically against false leaders. (see: Jeremiah 5:29-31, Proverbs 5, Matthew 7:15-20, 24:23-25, Acts 20:30-33, 2 Peter 2:1-3, 1 John 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:3)
    1. What attracts church members to false leaders?
    2. Why did Paul believe that those leaders really were actually serving the devil?
    3. Why might an evil person want to lead a church?
    4. How did Paul, refusing to take financial support for himself, (when it would have been appropriate) push back against these false leaders?
    5. Why won’t we be as bold as Paul was with false teachings and false leaders?
  7. READ: Mark 10:42-45, John 13:12-17, Mark 11:15-18
    1. How did Jesus teach that church leaders should behave and display Godly Jealousy? Why don’t we do it?
    2. How might we pursue God jealously without becoming legalistic or lethargic?
  8. 2 Corinthians 11:15 says, “Their destiny will be according to their works.”
    1. How should that statement encourage us and challenge us according to verses like Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 6:22, Galatians 5:19-26?

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