Comfort One Another

August 7, 2023 at 1:23 pm | Posted in Biblical comfort, Uncategorized | 3 Comments
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The only thing in this world that holds any real hope for people who are grieving the death of someone they loved is the Word of God.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

Psalm 116:15

What is precious about the death of a loved one? Not his absence, for he will be missed. Not the hope of a replacement, because the people we love can’t be replaced. Not a eulogy, because no matter how good or bad the words spoken, they will be forgotten. No, the death of someone we love is precious because it brings about two things:

First, it brings the people left here to carry on an important encouragement: the encouragement to turn to one another.

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 (emphasis added)

“Comfort one another.” True comfort is not found in ourselves. It is not found in drugs. It is not found in songs or music. It is not found in lashing out in anger. It is not found in alienating the people around us who don’t understand us or who annoy us. The Bible doesn’t even make this a suggestion – it makes it a command: Comfort ONE ANOTHER.

The first precious thing – the first valuable thing – the first redemptive thing – about the death of a loved one is that it can bring people together. It can prompt you to be patient, to bear one another’s burdens, to forgive one another, to put aside the past, and lean on each other, and start over.

The deceased person may not have left behind a treasure chest full of gold or a huge portfolio of business investments to fight over. There may not be some great ceremonial reading of a will. But, more often than not, what the deceased person leaves behind is common bond among people who loved him. And his death will be precious – and it will be MEANINGFUL – if you can love and support and care for and comfort ONE ANOTHER.

I said before that the death of a loved one is precious in two ways. The second way is that God uses death as a warning, as an illustration, and as a proof that every single one of us, because the common experience of death, are going to see Him – much, much sooner than we think.

God is made you and God loves you, but God is also just and righteous. You and I have sinned against Him, and justice requires punishment for sin. How can a just God also love and forgive those who have taken his precious gift of life and used it against Him? Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ answers this question, and the death of someone you love forces us to at least consider the answer.

How Not to Comfort a Grieving Parent

October 13, 2020 at 2:32 pm | Posted in Biblical comfort, Job | 1 Comment
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

By Chapters 9 and 10 the careful reader of the Book of Job starts to get some insight into where Job’s relationship with God, and his knowledge of God, could be improved. This happens as we observe Job’s questioning of God. In Chapter 10 Job wants to know if his life has been a waste.

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

Mark 14:3-6

Nothing given to Christ in faith and love is ever wasted.

Zophar speaks next. He was the youngest of Job’s “friends“/inquisitors, and the angriest. He accused Job of being nonsensical, and, in doing so, showed his own hypocrisy.

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

Job 11:2

There’s a time and place to stand up for the righteousness of God, perhaps when someone publicly takes His name in vain or complains too much about the weather, but some occasions call for a differnt tone or sense of compassion, such as when someone is angry at God because he has lost a child.

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

Job 11:7-9

Zophar had much to say about God’s sovereignty, but he didn’t say anything about God’s love.

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

The wisdom of God is beyond measure. The perfection of God is beyond measure. But so is the love of God for His children.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

Why were Zophar, and to some extent Bildad and Eliphaz, so angry at Job? Their fear had made them angry. They wanted Job to confess some secret sin to account for his troubles, so that they wouldn’t have to worry about troubles coming for them too. “If this happened to JOB, what could happen to US??” Zophar wanted Job to get his blessings back – but on his terms. He unwittingly spoke for Satan, wanting Job to make a “prosperity bargain” with God. An attempt to bribe God with an insincere confession is not the right motiviation.

When Eliphaz speaks again in Chapter 15, he first accuses Job of being an idiot, then he accuses him of being a hypocrite. He was anxious for Job to repent – to change his ways. He couldn’t understand how Job could possibly entertain the notion that God could let the wicked prosper or punish the righteous. God’s patience is often greater than we can grasp with our finite understanding.

The Resurrection and its Credibility, Confidence, Comfort, and Conquest

June 10, 2020 at 3:35 pm | Posted in Biblical comfort, Luke | 9 Comments
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words,

Luke 24:1-8

The Resurrection is one of the most significant doctrines of the Christian faith. It is absolutely essential. The doctrine of the Resurrection provides:

1. Credibility

Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Luke 18:31-34

Also, Jesus had said He would rebuild “this” temple in three days. The veracity of the Lord Jesus was at stake. Because He rose from death and lives we can believe everything He said.

2. Confidence

The boldness of the Apostles is attributed to the filling of the Holy Spirit and to their complete confidence in the Resurrection.

Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Acts 13:26-39

If Jesus could defeat death – if He could fulfill perfectly the prophecies made thousands of years before His death – He can forgive sins and even do what the Old Testament Law could not: He can JUSTIFY sinners.

3. Comfort

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:1-3

Jesus died and and His body went into the grave, and then He came back. Death is the “last enemy,” but we are victorious over it in Jesus. No other belief system has a resurrected God.

4. Conquest

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:10-15

The Resurrection is the complete and utter triumph of Christ over all our enemies, and it is the complete and utter exposure of Satan and his minions for the imposters that they are. Jesus takes all spoils from Satan and shares them with His people. We are raised with Christ; we need to live like reigning victors, with the joy of new life now. Eternal life begins at salvation, not at death.

Do Some Christians Irritate You or Make You Feel Uncomfortable?

May 31, 2017 at 3:30 pm | Posted in Biblical comfort, John, Social Media Shares and Mass Emails | 13 Comments
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

If you are truly a Christian, and if you, by God’s grace and with His help, try to live in accordance with what the Bible says, there is a high probability that you will be getting (at some time, for some reason) on someone’s nerves. That’s just the way it is in a fallen world. People who are immersed in the system of this world, because of its love of sin and its opposition to Christ Himself, and because of the influence of our arch-nemesis Satan, will not be comfortable in the presence of those who try to live righteously.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

John 3:19-20

Christians should expect this type of annoyance from pagans and heathens and professing atheists. But what about those who claim to be Christians, but don’t do the things you would expect to see Christians doing on a regular basis? Do you know some “Christians” who don’t attend church? Who don’t read the Bible? Who don’t participate in public prayer? Who think that adultery and fornication and divorce are just fine? Who support gay mirage and abortion and cross-dressing and transexual “rights?” Who love to hear and tell crude sexual jokes and like to lace their language with profanity? What do these “Christians” have against those of us who recognize the sinfulness of those things, and who are at least trying to stop doing them, and who have the gall to state in public that Christians OUGHT NOT to be doing them?

It’s hard to know for sure, but the one common theme I’ve heard in response to this inquiry is, “I don’t like feeling judged.” As you read this, does that statement describe you? Does the person minding his own business reading his Bible in public bother you just a little? Are you irked when someone suggests giving thanks for the meal just as you’re digging in with an eager fork? Are you SO “put off” by people who post Bible verses and links to “preachy” articles on their social media? When that one co-worker or family member who doesn’t curse enters the room, does it put a slight damper on the conversation for you? Or that family whose kids attend Christian school, even though they’ve never criticized you for sending your kids to public school – do they just sort of make you sick with their holier-than-thou attitude? Would you just rather not be around people who insist on talking about how Jesus died for our sins?

If you are one of those who just don’t care all that much for religious people or for people who put their Chrsitian beliefs out there for everyone to see, let me politely encourage you to reconsider what it is that might be bothering you. It could very well be the conviction of the Holy Spirit, or it might be your not-quite-completely-calloused conscience. In other words, your attitude about Christians who live consistently with what they claim they believe might say more about you than it does about them.

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

John 15:18-19

An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

Proverbs 29:27

After all, if your eternal destination hinges on actually and truly believing that the Son of God came down from Heaven to be tortured and crucified so that you could be set free from sin, then where will you be going when you die, knowing that you didn’t even have enough gratitude to change the way you lived for Him?

For those of us who sometimes feel left out because we are not invited to the party where the drinks will be flowing freely, or because our families will get together for weddings, funerals, anniversaries, reunions, and birthday parties, but not for worship services, let’s not be discouraged, and, at the same time, let’s not be offended by those who are (even subtly) offended by us.

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Philippians 2:15

Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

Romans 14:16

Let’s watch our attitudes, words, and actions in such a way that, at least, they will not be able to call us hypocrites. The Lord may be using us to bring the Truth to those who are nominal, but not actual, “Christians.” As Matthew Henry wrote, “… take heed of doing any thing which may give occasion to others to speak evil, either of the Christian religion in general, or of your Christian liberty in particular. The Gospel is your good; the liberties and franchises, the privileges and immunities, granted by it, are your good; your knowledge and strength of grace to discern and use your liberty in things disputed are your good, a good which the weak brother hath not. Now let not this be evil spoken of. It is true we cannot hinder loose and ungoverned tongues from speaking evil of us, and of the best things we have; but we must not (if we can help it) give them any occasion to do it.”

Two Sides to Every Comfort

October 17, 2014 at 10:23 am | Posted in Biblical comfort, Two Sides to Every Comfort | 3 Comments
Tags: , , , , , ,

In this series of lessons, I have been trying to do three things:
1. Recognize our need for comfort
2. Recognize that our comfort comes from God – Who is the God of all comfort
3. Correct the misunderstanding that God’s comforts are one-sided

In other words, God does not comfort us merely because He has a vague and passing interest in not allowing us to suffer too much. So we need to revise our view of some of the specific comforts that God gives to us, turning them over and looking at their other sides. I hope that this will give us a broader view of what it means to be comforted by the God of all comfort – a more comprehensive view that looks beyond the obvious, and looks with eyes of faith, to see at least two sides to every comfort.

There is a difference between being comfortable and being comforted, but the Holy Spirit has a way of comforting the uncomfortable, and making uncomfortable those who are merely complacent. The Christian life is not designed for self-comfort. It’s designed by God to challenge us to walk by faith through the zones of discomfort and find true comfort in God alone. Will you start exploring what He directs you to do, even if it makes you uncomfortable? If so, you will know the sweetness of His unique comfort.

C.onsolation / C.atastrophe
O.pportunity / O.bstacles
M.ercy / M.emory
F.ellowship / F.aults
O.versight / O.bedience
R.est / R.epentance
T.eaching / T.emptation

Nominative Repetition: Warning and Comfort

April 8, 2011 at 9:07 am | Posted in Biblical comfort, Biblical names, Genesis | 7 Comments
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

In Genesis 45 Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. This is sort of the climax of the story of Joseph.

In Chapter 46 Jacob moves his family to Egypt, but first he built an altar and worshiped.

And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

Genesis 46:1

This was very wise. It is always wise for us to seek counsel from the Lord before we make any move, and especially before we relocate our family.

Jacob was concerned about going to Egypt, and understandably so: He was aware of the trouble that Abraham had experienced there.

And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

Genesis 46:2

When the Lord says someone’s name twice, it is as if the first time is to get their attention, and the second time is to give assurance or comfort.

Genesis 22:11: “Abraham, Abraham” (when Abraham was just about to slay Isaac)

I Samuel 3:10: “Samuel, Samuel” (when the Lord spoke to Samuel as he served Eli)

Luke 10:41: “Martha, Martha” (when Jesus wanted to contrast Martha and Mary)

Acts 9:4: “Saul, Saul” (at the time of the Apostle Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus)

Why did God want Jacob and his family in Egypt?

And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:

Genesis 46:3

Even though going down to Egypt is sometimes a picture in the Bible of “going down” spiritually, God wanted to use Egypt as the place where He would fashion a people for Himself – not for themselves.

And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

Genesis 46:28

The “land of Goshen” (which is sort of an exclamation where I’m from) was very fertile – good for herdsmen. Judah led the way, continuing to establish his leadership role in the family – and foreshadowing the fact that the tribe of Judah would be the “royal tribe.”

Lord, I confess that I am not depending on anything other than the shed blood, atoning death, and bodily resurrection of Christ Jesus for my righteousness. Lord God, when you look at the account sheet of my life, none of my works are going to pay the price for even my slightest sin. You’re going to look on the righteousness side of the account sheet and see nothing but the blood of Jesus. This I confess in His holy name. Amen.


Entries and comments feeds.