Comfort for the Downcast 2 Corinthians 7:5-16
Life is full of emotion. Sadness. Sorrow. Anxiety. Depression. Joy. Delight. Trouble. Turmoil. Cast down. Shame. Loneliness. Comfort. Burdened. Love. Loss. The list goes on and on describing the wide range of emotions we as people, all people, experience in life. Somewhere along the way, and I’m not sure when or where or how it happened, but somewhere along the way we, the followers of Jesus, were told that if we will only give our lives to Jesus and seek Him with all of our hearts, then life will be smooth sailing. The troubles that we knew before we became a follower of Jesus will suddenly fade away, life will be fun, so much fun, and we will be happy. Whoever started that rumor had certainly never read about the Apostle Paul and his life once he became a follower of Jesus. As we’ve read Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth we’ve become more than familiar with the hardships Paul faced from those outside of the church as well as those inside of the church. And there is more to come! In 2 Corinthians 12:10 we will learn that Paul’s life was filled with what he described as weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions, and difficulties. What troubled Paul the most, what caused him to lose more sleep than anything else, was the Body of Christ, other believers that were in the churches in which he ministered. There was no church that caused him more sleepless nights and more stress-filled days than the church in Corinth. In our Scripture for this morning, found in 2 Corinthians 7:5-16, we will learn that Paul’s sorrow found comfort and his anxiety was turned into greater joy than he had ever experienced before. Let’s read our Scripture for this morning.
5 For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn-- conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever. 8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it-- I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-- 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. 13 By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. 15 And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. 16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in you. (2 Corinthians 7:4-16 NIV)
We can divide our Scripture into three different scenes as we work our way through it this morning.
2 Corinthians 7:5-7: Causes of discouragement and encouragement.
2 Corinthians 7:8-13a: The positive effects of Paul’s tearful letter.
2 Corinthians 7:13b-16: Titus’ joy.
Remember, Paul had spent 18 months in Corinth sharing the Gospel, planting the church, and discipling new believers. We learn from Acts 18-19 that Paul eventually left Corinth and made his way to Ephesus. Timothy brought news to Paul in Ephesus that things weren’t going well in Corinth. False teachers had infiltrated the church and sown seeds of divisiveness in regards to Paul’s authority as their father in the faith. So, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:19 that he would visit them soon. He wrote,
18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit? (1 Corinthians 4:18-21 NIV)
Paul did visit the church and things went from bad to worse. When Paul made his visit to Corinth a church member had publicly shamed Paul, putting him in his place, and in front of the whole church. To make matters worse, nobody in the church stood up to the loudmouth and defended Paul. Paul left Corinth discouraged and depressed, went back to Ephesus, and wrote what we now know as the “painful letter.” Paul didn’t want to write the letter. As a matter of fact, in 2 Corinthians 2:4 he wrote,
4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you. (2 Corinthians 2:4 NIV)
It was a bold letter. Paul didn’t want to have to be so blunt, so confrontational, but he saw where the church was heading and it required him to speak plainly and truthfully to the church. How would they receive it? Would the letter lead them to never want to see or speak to Paul again? Paul couldn’t bear the thought, but he knew he had to write the letter to try and wake them up, to turn them around. Here’s what is interesting about our study of 2 Corinthians. Paul mentions this letter in 2 Corinthians 2 and his discussion of the experience ends in 2 Corinthians 2:13. Read verses 12-13 with me.
12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 2:12-13 NIV)
We don’t hear another word about Titus carrying Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth or the outcome of how they responded until we come to 2 Corinthians 7:5. What we find in between 2:13 and 7:5 is a description of Paul’s ministry work, true ministry that is revealed in brokenness, persecution, and even including the possibility of death. George Guthrie writes,
The false ministers, with whom Paul vies for the affections and allegiance of the Corinthians, neither understand nor display real Christian ministry, which enters into the suffering of Christ for the sake of the church. Will the Corinthians ultimately follow these false ministers or Paul? Will the suffering of the apostle be exacerbated or eased by the church? (Guthrie, George. 2 Corinthians. pg. 368)
What happened? When Titus arrived in Corinth with the letter from Paul, the tearful letter from Paul, how did the people respond? Would Paul ever be able to go back to Corinth to see the people he loved, the people he had poured out his heart and soul for in seeking to help them grow in their love and faithfulness to the Lord? Take a look at 2 Corinthians 7:5-7 with me.
5 For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn-- conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever. 2 Corinthians 7:5-7 NIV)
We read in 2 Corinthians 2 that God had opened a door for ministry in Macedonia for Paul, but he could find no rest. What was the source of his anxiety, his fear? What had him so distracted? It was what was taking place in Corinth when Titus arrived. Have you ever experienced that kind of distraction in your own life? Things are going well, God has been so good, blessing you in so many ways, and yet there is that one thing, that one thing has so captured your mind and heart and it has you so distracted you can’t see just how blessed you have been? I’ve been there more times than I can count. I want to point out something for us this morning. In the NIV translation we read, “...we had no rest,” but in other translations like the ESV and the NKJV we read, “...our bodies had no rest.” In the NAS and KJV we read, “...our flesh had no rest.” In the Greek New Testament we find a specific word, the word “sarx” which is translated “flesh.” F.F. Bruce says, “Paul used ‘flesh’ (sarx) instead of ‘spirit’ to express the weakness of human nature which is so much influenced by external circumstances and internal moods.” What was the source of Paul’s lack of peace, his lack of rest? Paul writes, “...we were harassed at every turn-- conflicts on the outside, fears within.” Other translations have it that Paul was “troubled, afflicted, faced conflict from every direction.” The actual Greek word is “thlibo" and it means, “pressed hard, squeezed, afflicted.” Paul faced “conflicts on the outside, fears within.” Remember what F.F. Bruce said about the weakness of our human flesh? We are so influenced by external circumstances and internal moods. This is exactly what Paul was dealing with in his life and it will be what you and I will deal with for the rest of our lives. You and I, if we are followers of Jesus, we are called, commanded, to be “ministers of reconciliation.” We learned in 2 Corinthians 5:18 that God “gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul says “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.” Once we come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior our entire purpose in life changes–we are on assignment as His ambassadors to a lost and broken world, we are agents of reconciliation, making an appeal to those who are alienated and isolated from God and from one another to be reconciled. Here’s the thing you need to know. If you choose to engage in the assignment the Lord has for each of us as His “ministers of reconciliation” then you will be hurt, you will suffer sadness and loss, you will be disappointed again and again. There is just no way around it. Many of us, when we suffer disappointment because they don’t respond, or some other believer lets you down, mocks your faith, or takes advantage of you–we just shut it down and go back to living “our” life. I want to urge you not to do that, regardless of how many times you are hurt, let down, disappointed, discouraged, or depressed because you aren’t seeing the results you think you should see, don’t throw in the towel. Our aim is not success, it is faithfulness to God’s call on our lives. We are not strengthened by success. We are not comforted by the cheers of those we minister to in life. Our strength, our comfort, our affirmation comes from God. There is this powerful statement in verse 6.
6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, (2 Corinthians 7:6 NIV)
Who is it that comforts the downcast? It is God. He is the Father of all compassion and the God of all comfort, that’s what Paul wrote in the opening chapter of 2 Corinthians. He was, He remains, and will forever be the comforter of the downcast. How does God comfort the downcast? That’s an important question. There are many ways that He comforts us, but I want to show you one of the ways we can learn from this section of Scripture. I want to show you something that I find really exciting. The Greek word for comfort, “parakaleo” is made up of two words, “para” which means “alongside, or beside” and “kaleo” which literally means “call or called.” So, when you put them together the word, “parakaleo” means “to call one alongside.” How did God comfort Paul in the situation he found himself in when he could find no rest? Here comes Titus! I’d guess that most of you are not too familiar with Titus. He’s not a major figure in Scripture, but God used Titus in such a powerful way in Paul’s life. Titus was most likely someone who came to know Jesus because of Paul’s ministry. In Paul’s little letter to Titus, just three chapters long, Paul calls him “my true son in our common faith.” Titus was a Gentile, not a Jew. There is no mention of Titus in the book of Acts, but at a critical crossroads in the life of the Church, Titus went along with Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to meet with the leaders. The question of the day concerned the validity of the faith of Gentiles in the life of the church. Some said Gentiles could be a part of the church, but only if they were circumcised and followed the law. Titus was an uncircumcised Gentile who loved Jesus with all of his heart and he would be Paul’s “Exhibit A” before the leaders in Jerusalem. Paul wrote, in Galatians 2,
1 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. (Galatians 2:1-5; 9-10 NIV)
The next appearance Titus makes in Scripture is in 2 Corinthians where he was chosen by Paul to carry the “painful letter” to the church. Titus had to have known about the situation going on in Corinth and yet he was faithful in taking the “painful letter” to the people. What a tough assignment, yet in his faithfulness to carry out the task, he became a source of great joy for Paul when he returned with a good report. Just one more thing about Titus before we move on. Titus continued to be called upon by Paul to take on tough assignments. In Paul’s letter to Titus we learn that Titus had been traveling with Paul when Paul decided to leave him in Crete to finish some unfinished business with the followers of Jesus. What was it like in Crete? A warm, inviting, Christian utopia that any follower of Jesus would love to make their home? Hardly. Paul wrote,
12 One of Crete's own prophets has said it: "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons." 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. (Titus 1:12-14 NIV)
Titus was dependable, diligent, a man of integrity who was willing to take on tough tasks for the cause of Christ, and he was a man who was called alongside Paul in his time of great anxiety and uncertainty. You and I are called to come alongside of those the Lord places in our lives. I can say with absolute confidence that our greatest ministry, our most rewarding and lasting work in life is to come alongside of those who are confused and wrung out looking for purpose and meaning in life, broken by the disappointments of this life, paralyzed by the fears they face in life, and scarred by the sin which carries with it the weight of sorrow, guilt, and shame. I know that we are not going to get through our Scripture for this morning, but I just can’t move forward at this point when the opportunities for you and me to come alongside of others is everywhere in our society at this time. I want to show you two more Scriptures which show us that there are times God will use us to come alongside of someone and then there are other times that He will lead someone to come alongside of us in our time of need. First, turn with me to Acts 14. Paul and Barnabas had been ministering in Lystra when God used Paul to heal a man who had been unable to walk. The crowds cheered like crazy and said, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Before you know it, the crowd was swayed by some Jews who had come from Antioch and Iconium and Paul was stoned almost to the point of death. We read, in Acts 14:19-22.
19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. 21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. (Acts 14:19-22 NIV)
Seeing the man who many thought was a god suffer such a humiliating stoning could have easily persuaded the followers of Jesus in Lystra that following Jesus might not be the best choice. Paul knew how important it was to go back and speak to them. Paul returned to the city beaten, battered, and bruised. The word we’ve been taking a look at “to come alongside” is found in verse 22 where we read, “encouraging them to remain true to the faith.” Who better to stand before the followers of Jesus and tell them, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” than a man bearing the marks of suffering?! Your scars are your testimony my friends. God wants to move you alongside of those who are suffering so they might see your scars of faithfulness and hear your story of how the Lord came alongside you in your time of need. Just one more story before we go. In the last chapters of Acts we find that Paul has been in prison in Caesarea by the Sea for two years. He appeared before Felix, Festus, and even the Jewish King Agrippa. Every time Paul was called on to stand before the government leaders and face the charges brought against him, he shared his faith in Jesus. Paul appealed to his being a Roman citizen and asked to be sent to Rome to appear before Caesar’s court. Paul was put on a ship to make the long, long journey. When the ship finally arrived in Rome, we read in Acts 28:15,
14 There we found some believers, who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 The brothers and sisters in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us at the Forum on the Appian Way. Others joined us at The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God. (Acts 28:14-15 NLT)
The word “parakaleo,” “to come alongside,” is found in the word “invited” in your English Bible. Some nameless brothers and sisters went out of their way to make the journey from where they were to where Paul had arrived and they said, “Come and stay with us for a while.” Is it any wonder Paul was encouraged? You don’t have to have a theology degree to come alongside of someone. You don’t have to know the Bible better than the next person to come alongside of someone. You don’t have to feel like you have all of the answers or that you are equipped to do what will need to be done to come alongside of someone. What you do need is an awareness that God is calling you, moving you, and that just as He has comforted and encouraged you, He will use you to comfort and encourage others. We are not the source of comfort. We are merely His instruments of comfort, He is the source. There is no comfort like the comfort He offers. If you are here this morning and are needing comfort and strength then I want to invite you to fall into His arms of grace and mercy. He will comfort you with a comfort unlike any other. Won’t you come?Mike HaysBritton Christian ChurchMay 7, 2023