Sunday, May 17th, 2015 PM – West Union Christian Church
New Series: 2 Corinthians (Part 1)
“Searching For Comfort” 2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Key Word: “_____________________________________”
The Verb is used ________ times in this letter;
The Noun is used ________ times.
I. Hardships Are A _________________________________________________ Of Every Christian Life.
2 Corinthians 1:5
Genesis 3:16a (NIV), “To the woman he said, ‘I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful
labor you will give birth to children...’”
Genesis 3:17-19a (NIV), “To Adam he said, ‘Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about
which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ ‘Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you
will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants
of the field. By the sweat of your brow you eat your food until you return to the ground…”
2 Corinthians 1:8
1 Peter 4:12 (NIV), “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as
though something strange were happening to you.”
II. Hardships Allow Us The Opportunity To Receive _______________________________________.
2 Corinthians 1:9
Hebrews 12:7-11 (NIV), “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not
disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are
illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we
respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers
disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in
his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Psalm 46:10a (NIV), “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God...”
III. Hardships Equip Us To _____________________________________________________________________.
2 Corinthians 1:4
Hebrews 4:15 (NIV), “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but
we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.”
2 Corinthians 1:3
James 2:15-17 (NIV), “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him,
‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?’ In
the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
2 Corinthians 1:6-7
IV. Hardships Enable Us To Give _____________________________ Of Our ________________________.
2 Corinthians 1:11
2 Corinthians 1:6
1 Peter 2:12 (NIV), “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they
may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”