7/10/19 

II Corinthians 1:3-5

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

The Scriptures are plain about the benefits of suffering.  The content before us is about suffering and one of its purposes with the benefit.

1.       As Christ was afflicted while here in the flesh so we his followers must expect be afflicted for being His disciples.

2.      A benefit of the afflictions which believers experience is to demonstrate that we are his disciples.

3.      Our afflictions which we experience as followers of Jesus and the Apostles prepare us to be examples to others who suffer afflictions.

4.      As Christ comforts us in our afflictions even so we are to comfort others in their suffering.

5.      The comfort we have received qualifies us to comfort those who have needs.

6.      This comfort we give others which is beneficial through our experiences is needed and beneficial.

7.      The comforts we receive and give others is beneficial only as it is Christ’s comfort we have received.  cf Philippians 1:29

⁹ For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,