The Wrestling with Truth Adult Bible Fellowship began a study of 2 Corinthians on April 14, 2013.

We considered the challenges of St. Paul in establishing and encouraging a new church within a pagan environment.  As best we can ascertain, Paul penned four letters to the Corinthians but only two of them have been keep extant in the New Testament canon.  Paul records three visits to Corinth.

The theme for our session today (April 21) was the 2 Corinthians phrase, the “GOD OF ALL COMFORT.”

Interestingly the phrase “GOD OF ALL . . . .” appears five times in the NIV as follows:

• (Isa 54:5 NIV)  For your Maker is your husband– the LORD Almighty is his name– the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
• (Jer 31:1 NIV)  “At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they will be my people.”
• (Jer 32:27 NIV)  “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”
• (2 Cor 1:3 NIV)  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
• (1 Pet 5:10 NIV)  And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

We considered many concepts included under the categories of “the means of grace” and “the means of comfort.”  We concluded with the idea that as we participate in the sufferings of Jesus Christ so our own sufferings can be meaningful to ourselves and to others.

Key Verses to ponder:

(2 Cor 1:3-4 NIV)  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 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.

(2 Cor 1:8-9 NIV)  We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.  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.

The chorus “Learning to Lean” formed a good benediction.  You can click on the link below for the whole song.  You will need to click on the arrow to start the music.  The words are a bit lower on the page.

http://carolynspreciousmemories.com/Spiritual/LearningToLean.html

TLT