Aug 26 – 2 Chronicles 26, 2 Chronicles 27, 2 Chronicles 28 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 Psalm 103:1-12

2 Cor 1:8-10

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

Paul starts the book of 2 Corinthians talking lot about suffering – in particular his suffering. Why does he do this?

Some time had passed between his letter and the first one and in the meant time he had revisited. There may well have been another letter to them too before this that has not been preserved.

And there was a problem rising up in Corinth – they were rejecting Pauls’ teaching. Because Paul was suffering – persecuted and was not rich. Their ears had been turned by… well I can’t think of a better therm than prosperity preachers. Superstars – people who looked like they had it all together. And the accusation was rising against Paul, why should we listen to you?

They were questioning – how can Paul be from God if he’s not prospering?

That’s still an issue in churches today – we have this idea that if someone is suffering, something must be wrong and they are not worth listening to. “Where’s your faith?”

It’s very sad that it’s still an issue, but it’s good that this letter exists to deal with it.

How does Paul address it? Well he’s telling them if they think that’s the case they don’t understand the Gospel. Christ suffered and we share in that suffering. But we also share in the comport that He gives.

So instead of validating himself by talking about his victories, he doubles down on his suffering!

He say’s you think I’ve suffered? You don’t know the half of it!

He’s saying it got so bad in Asia that at one point it felt like a death sentence. What was this that happened? We don’t know. It could have been the riot in Ephesus or it could have been an illness or something else entirely. We don’t know. We just know it was bad.

So bad that he despaired of live itself.. death felt like a better option. That’s a bad state to be in. But Paul came through it. And so will you.

We share in the sufferings, that’s part of our life. But we also share in the comfort.

Suffering does not disqualify you – if anything it qualifies you. Suffering comes, but Christ comforts us. He will deliver us. Hard times teach us to put our hope in Him. It teaches us to not rely on ourselves but only on Him. And you can’t really learn that without suffering.

Don’t’ rejoice for your suffering, but rejoice in it. For you have set your trust in the one who can and will deliver you.