Comfort One Another

As we work through it, and I guess I'll, let me just say this now. So, brother Mike and I have kind of worked through a little bit of what we'll do after the one another's, and we got a couple more weeks of this, but what we'll do after it, for you that will remember, it took us almost two years to go through the book of Judges, I mean, the book of Joshua.

And then if you remember, we started the book of Joshua, I mean, the book of Judges, I'll get it right. And we went all the way up to Jethro, which is probably chapter 12 in the book of Judges. So after we're finished with the one another's, brother Mike and I are gonna go back into Judges, starting with Samson, and finish the book of Judges.

And then after that, we're going to work on the statement of faith that we have as a body of believers, and go through that. And then we're gonna go through the Constitution. So we pretty much have laid out a course for ourselves for a good part, I would say a good part of the summer and into the fall.

And one of the desires in doing that is to get others who maybe are not as familiar with what we believe and why we believe it, not so much the confession, but the Constitution and the statement of faith that we hold to.

So we're hoping to get more people who perhaps don't know that involved in that, so that they'll have a better understanding of who we are and what we believe. Okay, I just thought I'd add that in to it.

Comforting One Another in Light of the Resurrection

Okay, so this morning, I wanna think about comforting one another. I put some scriptures on the board, and the scripture I wanna read is in 1 Thessalonians 4, and we'll read a number of verses. And then I'm gonna just talk about a couple of things, and then we're gonna come back to these verses and look at them in more detail.

So 1 Thessalonians 4, we'll read from verse 13 through verse 18. In verse 13, the apostle says this, I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

And then the text really is, verse 18, therefore comfort one another with these words. Comfort one another with these words. And so as we focus in on this idea of comfort, that will be, we'll come back to this section.

And on this side of the board, I put six reasons from this passage why I think that we are to comfort one another and the thought behind it. In other words, if you think about it, all of these one another's that we've been going through, we need to make sure that they're based in scripture, right?

They can't just be based in feelings or emotions or past practice or tradition. They really have to be grounded and founded on the word of God itself. So we'll come back to that passage, this passage in a little bit.

And I will show you in these verses very briefly that these six reasons are reasons given to us why we ought to comfort one another. And I hope we will find it encouraging and I hope we will find it comforting.

The Meaning of Comfort and the Work of the Holy Spirit

So let's just think about a couple of things. So I say comfort, you say, please, nobody say Southern. So some of you know what I'm talking about anyway. So I said comfort, you say what? What comes to your mind when that word is mentioned?

Is that really what comes to you or just that your mind is just trained by the scriptures?

I wish I could say the latter this evening.

Okay, so come alongside, okay. Actually, that's one of the main words that are used. So this word comfort is really made up two root words. One of them means to come alongside of or come next to, and the other one means to bring comfort or consolation or even the thought of encouragement.

Anybody else? Comfort, what comes to your mind?

Yes, he says encourage.

Yeah, and some of the other translations will use different words. What's interesting and I'll just pass this along to you now. The next time I have the opportunity to speak, so Brother Michael come next week, the next one for me is exhort.

And I'm gonna show you when we go to that in two weeks, it's the same word that's used for comfort, which is again, I think the context kind of determines how it's translated in certain places. But nevertheless, it really is.

And it's the word here about comfort one another, it's a verb. So again, didn't learn much in school, but I do know what a verb does and a noun does. I have an idea what an adverb and an adjective does.

They're like helpers to verbs and nouns, right? Sister Anne, am I close? Close, yes, she's getting me right, yeah. Just comfort me, please. But anyway, the word is a verb here and the word is parakaleo.

And it's really, if anybody who knows the Greek, what would jump into your mind when I say that word? The Holy Spirit, right? And that's parakalitas, right? Or again, an Italian Bronx accent comes out a little different, but nevertheless.

And if that's really what the word is, and it really is something that you and I need to do. In other words, the word that's used here in First Thessalonians is a verb. Therefore it means that it is an action that we are to partake in.

Therefore it means it's a command. It's not optional. In other words, as the apostle says, we are to comfort one another with these words, he's not giving us, if you got nothing to do, if you feel in the mood, if the spirit moves, it's a command.

As all these one another's, our brothers and sisters, we are commanded to do these things continually, consistently, and not to forsake them. Because again, many times we focus on what we should not do.

Again, do not lie to one another, or even as the 10 commandments in so many ways are laid out in the negative. But many times we're so focused on what we shouldn't do that we don't pay enough attention to what we ought to do.

And so certainly these one another's are one of them. And so it's not my intent this morning to talk about the Holy Spirit as the great comforter, but I do wanna have us to think about it, that we ought to imitate.

Let me pose it to you this way. Should we not seek to imitate the work of the Spirit of God in us? In other words, if God has given us of His Spirit, the Holy Spirit has come, one of the great outworkings of the Spirit of God in us is to do what?

To comfort us. As a matter of fact, that's what the word that's used, even as Jesus thought about the helper that would come, I won't leave you as orphans, I will come to you. Again, the thought of coming alongside, that the comforter, the Holy Spirit, we ought to imitate.

And if I could use the word, mimic what He does in us, what we do with one another, because it's all bundled together, right? And this whole idea of having a union with Christ and being in fellowship with God, the things that are freely given to us of God, we ought to be in the same way desirous to freely give them.

Wouldn't you agree? There's gotta be consistency along through it. So, like I said, we're gonna come back to these words, but I wanna show you a couple of different places, and I wrote them on the board if you want them, how this is to be done.

And so let me read a couple of verses. And first, it's interesting, in the book of Thessalonians, this is a recurring theme, this idea of comfort. If you were to look right at chapter five, look what it says.

In verse nine, God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Therefore, comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

As we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace amongst yourselves.

Now, we exhort you, brethren, warn those that are ruling, comfort the faint-hearted, uphold the weak, be patient to all. And again, there's this thought of how we are to act in comforting one another.

In 2 Thessalonians 2, and again, you could read it or later for yourself, it says that we ought to, Paul says, comfort your hearts and establish you, that God would comfort your heart and establish you in every good word and work.

Again, this thought of coming alongside to console, to encourage, to exhort, and as we see more specifically, when we deal with that, exhort one another, that it's the same word, but it has a different, to me, it's almost like a diamond.

You look at it one way and one light seems to shine out of it, right? And then you look at a diamond another way and another prism of light appears. And so when you think about it, when these words are used, that's, I believe, part of the way in which we ought to take it, that the radiance of its truths is in union with other truths, but yet it stands on its own also.

So in Romans chapter 15, it says, whatever things were written before were written for our learning that we through the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Then he says in verse five of chapter 15, Paul says, now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded towards one another according to Christ Jesus.

Again, that word comfort is the word that Paul uses in 1 Thessalonians. And when you think about it, as God is the God of comfort, so we ought to comfort one another with the comfort that he himself, and that's also what he says, and you'll see it in a minute, that we ought to imitate what God is to us, has done for us and the comfort, because again, does anybody want to be discomforted this morning?

I'll wait. Nobody wants discomfort. Everybody wants comfort. And so we, not only do we desire, we need it. Every one of us in some measure or another, nobody is able to carry it all on their own. Wouldn't you agree?

We all need comfort. We all need someone, something, ultimately it's God himself, right? He's the great comforter, but we all need support. Again, God has created us even in that sense as those who interact with one another.

So just think about that. In first Corinthians chapter 14, he says, he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. One of the reasons why we ought to continually not only preach the word, but be preached at by the word, is to bring us comfort, is to bring us consolation, encouragement.

And I'll say this, if the word of God discourages you or does not bring you comfort, I assure you the issue is with you. The issue is not because God's word is meant to comfort. Now, that doesn't mean just you'll have this glorious feeling, but ultimately the purpose behind it is to bring us into union and fellowship and communion with God.

And it has many different tributaries, right? But it's still as laid out here, the thought that God is the great comforter. And then let me read this to you in second Corinthians chapter one, it says of God who comforts us in all our tribulation.

And here it is, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God. That's a key verse right there, isn't it? That has, that's very pregnant with meaning as far as not only our relationship with God and God's relationship with us, but then how we are to take what God gives us and to give it to one another.

Ultimately to give it to all men, but particularly as we have relationships and certainly within the body of Christ, we ought to do that. And then the last verse I'll remark is in second Corinthians chapter 13 verse 11, it says, finally, brethren, as Paul says this, finally, brethren, farewell.

Be complete, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace and the God of love and peace be with you. That we would be of, we would be complete, we would be of one mind and we would be of good comfort.

So those are the thoughts that, those are the places that I found in the New Testament and not all of them, but I think there's enough there to give us a good enough canvas to work over, to work off of that you and I are to put this all together in our lives.

And I'll ask you now, and then I'll ask you again at the end, if you had to gauge yourself on whether you are both comforting others and being comforted by others, how would you gauge it? How would you gauge it in your own life?

In other words, are you a source of comfort or you a detractor from comfort? How much of our lives is made up with seeking to comfort one another versus in a very selfish way, just being comforted ourselves?

Because, and maybe you would disagree, I think in many churches, many people who profess to know God and to be in the right relationship, they're more interested in receiving than giving. Would you agree or would you, do you think I'm just, okay, I'm glad you all agree.

People on the internet can't see you all raising your hands saying yay. But think about it. Where do I fall in this whole idea of coming alongside others and seeking to bring them true comfort, not false comfort, because the world has their own sense of comfort, right?

The world has its own methods that it uses in interaction with others, but we're not of the world, right? So we ought to use what God has given us. And again, I've been asking myself all week that question, am I contributing to the comfort of the people of God or am I more concerned about being comforted by the people of God in any kind of interlock, right?

Even as it says in that verse in 2 Corinthians, it says, God comforts us, that we might be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort which we ourselves receive. Some people might say that's sympathy.

Some people might say it's empathy. Some people can say a lot of things, but really I think the Bible, I know the Bible is its own interpreter and its own dictionary. So therefore we ought to stick truly there and not start wandering to the left and right with different thoughts.

Any comments to this point?

Like I said, we want people to cater that comfort to us rather than, because it's not just an easy thing. I mean, if you're truly there to try and comfort and it's not just some tripe, well, I'm so sorry.

Then there's work in comfort. There is, there's a lot.

You kind of have to lose yourself, right? And none of us are good at losing ourselves. But we have to go outside of ourselves and extend ourselves, right? As you go to a restaurant, what do you expect from the waiter or waitress?

Service, comfort, right? You don't go to the restaurant with this and I'm not saying you should, but none of us go to the restaurant with the idea of I'm gonna comfort this waiter or this waitress. We wanna be served, right?

And we wanna be served right? And we wanna be served the way we think we wanna be served. So I think that is a good thought. Any other thoughts before we go back, brother? Think comfort. Yes, sir. And as the comforter who comforts us in all our tribulations, again, we are then to imitate and copy the comfort that we receive and to distribute it freely and fully to others that are in need of comfort.

And again, I say we're all in need of comfort. Some people need less comfort than others. Some people have different, we all have different personalities, we all have different constitutions, we're all in different situations.

And so we need to be very careful with one another to handle one another and to be of such a mind and heart. You know, it's one of the things about always one another is it really takes thought, brothers and sisters.

We really need to think about what we think about. Now, if you need me to write that down and autograph it, I will. But think about it. We really need to think about what we think about, especially as we gather together as a people of God.

Again, do we just come here with expectations? And I'm not saying we shouldn't, or do we come here with a desire to fulfill the these glorious commands. And this is a glorious command. Again, I'd rather be around a comforter than a discomfort, right?

Just as sure as I'd rather be around someone who's positive than negative. Because you know how that goes, right? I'm sure we all have friends, relatives, people we know that although you wanna talk to them, you really don't wanna talk to them.

I have some, honestly, people that I know that as much as I wanna talk to them, I know what I'm gonna get when I say, how you doing? And it really takes thought on my part. Okay, am I ready for this? Because I know what's coming.

That no matter how good they are, they're always really bad. And so again, to your point, it takes a real exertion on our part. Any other thoughts? Brother Mike, I thought I saw you flinching. I was gonna, and he said,.

I just came to the Holy Prayer and the Upper Room Discourse. He says, I'm gonna, I'm sending someone to you because I can't be with you. It's to your advantage that I go away so that it will lead you and guide you into all truth.

So our comfort is the fact that the Holy Spirit's gonna lead us and guide us into all the truth. And therefore, that's how we should act that out to one another, leading and guiding each other into the truth of God's word.

Yeah, that's such a good point, right?

It's, again, it's what we received, we haven't received it solely for our own consumption. What we receive, and that's, remember Paul says, what do you have that you haven't received? And then what we have received, we ought to be desirous to distribute it, right?

And it's not like we're gonna lose, if we give away certain things, we lose certain things. We will never lose the comfort of God in our own lives by giving comfort to someone else. Matter of fact, it's the other way around, right?

We will find even greater comfort, even as Jesus said, it's more blessed to what? To give than to receive. So again, all these thoughts, but certainly that is something that we could ultimately focus on solely that the Holy Spirit has come to us and given to us that which only God can give and that we are then to distribute it out in all these one and others.

The Faithfulness of God as the First Ground of Comfort

Okay, we got a few minutes left. I wanna go back into 1 Thessalonians 4 now, and I wanna deal with this, these six things, and I'm not saying there isn't more, but these were six things that jumped out to me in this passage of, if you will, we ought to comfort one another with these words, and it's based on a number of things.

And the first one is the faithfulness of God. And I want you to look at verse 13. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

That you and I ought to come alongside one another, seek to console, seek to encourage, seek to aid in any way and in every way, because God is so faithful in that he's giving us a living hope. Friends, I hope we really can grow deeper in that truth that God has given us exceedingly great and precious promises, and that that ought to be in and of itself the comfort that we, that's all we need, is to know that God is faithful.

And God, what God has said he will do, he will do because he's a faithful God. And that you and I can truly look at, and I believe that's what Paul is trying to build up to. He gets to verse 18, and I think these other thoughts build to that point that you and I ought to comfort one another because God is faithful, and integrate that God has given us a true hope and not a hope so, an anchor for our soul that God in his faithfulness has declared that he will never leave us nor forsake us.

That, and I was reading this morning on my own, I was just reading through Psalm 139, and it's just that whole thought, if I ascend up to heaven, you're there. If I make my bed and chill, you're there.

If I go to the farthest part of the sea, behold, you're there. If he's in darkness, he says it doesn't matter because darkness and light is the same to God. That God is the faithful God no matter where you and I go brothers, he's with us.

I will never leave you nor forsake you. And so as we seek to comfort one another, and certainly in the thought of Paul's letter here to Thessalonians, this was a real issue of the resurrection, is the resurrection, did we miss the boat?

What's the situation? And so to me, that's one of the reasons why we can look to one another and we can comfort one another based on the character of God, right? We still can't comfort one another based on our own character because all we'll do is disappoint each other, right?

But we can comfort one another on the reality of the faithfulness of the person of God. I hear the trumpets from heaven. All right. Very good, thank you sister. You can be the background noise anytime.

All right, so that's one reason I wanna try to get through this couple of them. The second one is this, that you and I are to come alongside one another and to console one another and to encourage one another and to in a sense, be there for one another.

And the second reason is because of the resurrection. And there it is right there in verse 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus.

We really can. And again, when you think about it, how many people there are who think of the resurrection as a myth, as a fable. Some people just totally ignore it. Some people will fight against it, but you and I, and as the apostle says, we believe that Jesus died and rose again.

One of the reasons why we can comfort one another is because the tomb is empty. Isn't that great? Isn't it great that there is no particular date for remembrance of the resurrection. I'm not discounting Easter.

But what I'm saying is, you could comfort me and I could comfort you because the grave is empty. Jesus conquered death. He's ascended and I'll deal with that in a second, but that we are not those who have no assurance.

Remember what Job said? He said, I know my redeemer lives, right? Not I think, not it could be, not it might be, not I hope it's true. He says, I know my redeemer lives. And he also made very clear statements that he knew that after he had gone away of all the earth, he would then see his Lord again, even in body form.

So think about that. That's why I ask you, are we grounded and founded enough in God's word to be able to give true comfort to one another? Or again, are we just gonna be like the world and try to come along somebody?

And here's another thought. Many people come alongside somebody in a situation and say to them, it'll work out. Or I hope it works out. Well, listen, we can comfort each other because Jesus overcame death, arose from the grave, ascended into heaven, is seated on the throne.

And we can say, I know it'll work out. No, will it work out the way we want it to work out? But will it work out? Again, what's that great scripture? Yeah, all things work together for good. Not all things work together for our happiness or enjoyment in this world, but all things work together for good to them and to love God to them that are called.

Then we go back into the faithfulness of God, right? Called according to his purpose and so on. So again, I think the reason why Paul says comfort one another with these words is the faithfulness of God, the resurrection.

Comforting One Another Because We Share the Same Faith

And then I wanted to point this out. It's based on our mutual faith. Based on our mutual faith. Look at verse 15. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

Listen, you and I are to comfort one another because well, think of it this way. There have been multitudes that have gone on to be with Jesus before us. And if the Lord tarries, I assure you, there will be multitudes that go on to be with Jesus after.

And again, that kind of incorporates my thought of why Christ has not returned yet. Because to me, as soon as the last sheep enters the fold, Christ returns. Now that's a different conversation, but just think about this.

We can comfort one another and we ought to comfort one another we're in the same boat. Brothers and sisters we're in the same boat. We ought to comfort one another. Just think of it. If we were all in a boat on an ocean and the waves were crashing against the boat, we ought to comfort one another because we're all in the same situation.

I thought about what Paul said. Do you remember what Paul said when he was in the ship towards the end of the book of Acts and they were afraid and they threw the cargo out and the ship was breaking up.

You know what Paul said? Long as you stay in the ship, you're saved. You won't perish. And so when you think about it, we ought to comfort one another because we're in the same boat because of our mutual faith, because listen, think about it over and over again.

Christ died for us. Christ died for me. Christ died for us. And if we begin to separate the us from the we, I believe we dishonor the work that Christ did because he purchased what? Purchased Ephesians five.

He purchased the church, right? So you and I again are to bring comfort to come alongside one another because we have this mutual faith that again is based on the fact that we have a faithful God and that our savior has arose from the dead and that he has conquered the grave and those things, and they ought to be pleasant thoughts, shouldn't they?

I hope they are to us. Okay, just a couple more as our time winds down. And in the fourth place, that we ought to comfort one another or it's based on the fact that Christ returned. Now, again, some of these things overlap, right?

What I'm saying, but yet there's a reality of this. And I believe that's what Paul is really emphasizing. Comfort one another with what words? The words that not only is God faithful and he's not gonna lose any for those he sent his son for, but that Christ is coming again.

I read to you the very first words in the book of Acts, not the very first, but in the beginning, it says this. Remember when they had gathered in the upper room waiting for the ascension of the spirit and they heard these words.

Now, when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up and a cloud received them out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly towards heaven, as he went up, a whole two men stood by them in white apparel who also said, men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up at the heaven?

This same Jesus who was taken from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven, right? We ought to be able to comfort one another because Jesus is coming again. Man alive, if we don't have that comfort in our heart, then I don't know how we can extend true comfort to anybody else because they have no real hope.

What can they be waiting for? How many people are waiting for something that will never come to pass? You and I have this hope that, and I know brother Mike says it often, Christ will split the Eastern sky and Cindy's trumpet will be blown.

And the Lord will return and we shall ever be with the Lord. Man alive, if that don't make your spiritual hair stand up, then I don't know. But we ought to be able to comfort one another. These are great things.

I mean, glorious thing. And it's so rich and so full and go back to my other thought before, how much do we really think about these things? Are we just spinning our wheels, captivated with the things of life?

How many people are waiting for tonight, for the Superbowl to be comforted by the team that they want to win, right? And so some of them are gonna be very happy tonight. Some are gonna be comforted. I was reading the other day, this Superbowl was the most bet Superbowl on.

You know that one guy that spent that bet, he does it every year, the mattress dude. He wagered four and a half million dollars on tonight's game. He does it every year. That's his thing. Could you imagine, I would be very discomforted if I bet $4 on the Superbowl, nevermind four and a half million.

My point is that the fact that Jesus is coming again, we ought to comfort one another with those words. We ought to come alongside one another. We ought to be able to lift one another up, give each other hope.

Comfort Grounded in the Word of God and the Eternal State

Okay, two more. The fifth one is this, that it's based on the comfort that we give to one another. And I've kind of been insinuating it's based on doctrinal truth. It's based on the truth of the word of God itself.

And I say that, and again, I'll use verse 15. For we say to you by the word of the Lord, right? That we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means proceed those who are asleep.

Remember the verse I read to you from Romans chapter 15. It says, whatever things were written before time were written for all learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

We ought to comfort one another because we have not only the faithful God, but the faithful word of God. And again, we ought to use the word of God as not only a defensive weapon against the wiles of the devil, but we ought to use it as a way of benefiting others who again, I'll use the analogy, are in the same boat as we are.

Or if you extend it outward, again, we ought to offer comfort but to those who have no comfort, and again, I was thinking about, I was reading about how in Los Angeles, they're trying to hide all the homeless people today.

They'll bring them back out of the parks tomorrow, but they're trying to hide them, right? And I was thinking about how those people have no comfort. What comfort could they possibly, what comfort could be had living in a tent and living out in the elements and living in horrible circumstances or people across the world that have no hope, no comfort bound by all kinds of false gods and false religions and false thoughts.

And you and I have the word of God and we ought to base our comfort to one another on that. And so that's why he says, comfort one another with these words, what words? The words of God. Again, and I'll say it this way, we don't need Dr. Phil.

We really don't. We don't need Oprah and we don't need all these other people that want to extend comfort to us. We have the very word of the true and living God and that ought to be enough for us. And then finally, that we ought to comfort one another with these words based on the eternal state because that's what it says in verse 17.

Look, we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Isn't that great? And if we can't find comfort in that and give comfort based on that, then I don't believe we have a true understanding of the eternal state, right?

I will say this and I will confess this before you and maybe you've had similar experiences because I'm not that much different than you. I speak better because I speak Northernese and you speak Southernese, but I find it easier to trust God for eternity than I do for tomorrow because of all the things that are thrown at me in this world and all the things that I have not yet learned to bring into captivity to be beaten to Christ.

And so I find comfort in the fact that I shall ever be with the Lord, but I'm not always so comforted that God will be with me next week. And again, that's where we need to go because the eternal state is just an extension of what's now, right?

Is this not the temporary and that being the eternal state? Is not the scene really in a way leading us into the unseen? So you think about these things and again, when Paul lays this out and he says, comfort one another, there's a whole lot behind it.

Matter of fact, there's a whole lot behind all these other one another brothers and sisters. If we would only, again, think about what we think and act upon what we know, not what we feel, we would be much better suited to comfort one another and we would be less desirous only to receive, not that we would exclude it because I certainly want you to comfort me and I certainly need comfort, but I also have this holy obligation to comfort you and to come alongside of you as you come alongside me.