The Ministry of Giving

Comfort

Introduction

It is a natural response of true friends to

want to comfort one of their own when

troubles or tragedy strikes them. This

was the case with Eliphaz, Bildad, and

Zophar toward their friend, Job.

(Job 2:11-13 NIV) When Job's three

friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad

the Shuhite and Zophar the

Naamathite, heard about all the

troubles that had come upon him, they

set out from their homes and met

together by agreement to go and

sympathize with him and comfort him.

{12} When they saw him from a distance,

they could hardly recognize him; they

began to weep aloud, and they tore

their robes and sprinkled dust on their

heads. {13} Then they sat on the

ground with him for seven days and

seven nights. No one said a word to

him, because they saw how great his

suffering was.

God’s desire to offer comfort to those

who need it is evident in several ways:

1. God’s characterization in Scripture

(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.

2. God’s counsel in Scripture

(Psa 119:49-50 NIV) Remember your

word to your servant, for you have

given me hope. {50} My comfort in my

suffering is this: Your promise

preserves my life.

3. God’s construction of the church

(1 Cor 12:24b-26a NIV) God has

combined the members of the body

and has given greater honor to the

parts that lacked it, {25} so that there

should be no division in the body, but

that its parts should have equal

concern for each other. {26} If one part

suffers, every part suffers with it.

4. God’s communication through others

(2 Cor 7:6-7 NIV) 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.

I. The “Words” of Comfort Reveals

Ways to Comfort.

A. Old Testament Words for Comfort

1. To cause to smile (Hebrew, "balag").

2. To show compassion and consolation

(Hebrew, "naham").

3. To support or strengthen

(Hebrew, "ca'ad").

B. New Testament words on comfort.

1. To come to one’s side to help

(Greek, "parakaleo").

2. To soothe or console

(Greek, "paramutheomai").

3. To use soothing words like a soothing

medicine used to relieve pain

(Greek, "paregoria").

4. To cheer up or to make a soul well

(Greek, "eupsucheo").

5. To encourage someone to take

heart, help is near (Greek, "tharreo").

6. To correct wrong thinking that has

been causing pain to one’s self or

others (Greek, "noutheteo").

II. How We Learn to Comfort Others

God is building a resume of victories we

have in Him so that we can share with

others who need comfort. We learn

how to comfort others . . .

A. From Our Own Experiences

(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, {4} 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.

B. From Our Victories Won by Faith.

(1 Th 3:7-8 NIV) Therefore, brothers, in

all our distress and persecution we

were encouraged about you because

of your faith. {8} For now we really live,

since you are standing firm in the

Lord.

C. From Taking Advantage of Our

Opportunities to Provide Comfort

1. As we provide comfort to others, we

become more skilled in ministering it.

(2 Cor 1:4 NIV) [The God of all comfort]

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. As we watch others who are gifted at giving comfort, we learn how to offer it ourselves.

This may have been how Tychicus became so adept at giving comfort to others. He was with Paul and others when Paul was on a mission of encouragement to the churches he had established on his first missionary journey. Tychicus probably learned from Paul’s ministration of comfort to the churches and was used to aid Paul to that end.

a. Paul sent Tychicus to Ephesus to

encourage them.

(Eph 6:21-22 NIV) Tychicus, the dear

brother and faithful servant in the

Lord, will tell you everything, so that

you also may know how I am and what

I am doing. {22} I am sending him to

you for this very purpose, that you

may know how we are, and that he may

encourage you.

b. Paul sent Tychicus to Colossae to

encourage them.

(Col 4:7-8 NIV) Tychicus will tell you all

the news about me. He is a dear

brother, a faithful minister and fellow

servant in the Lord. {8} I am sending

him to you for the express purpose

that you may know about our

circumstances and that he may

encourage your hearts.

c. Paul was to send either Artemus or

Tychicus to replace Titus in Crete for

the purpose of encouraging Cretan

Christians who were prone to lying,

wicked acts, and laziness.

(Titus 1:12-13 NIV) Even one of their own

prophets has said, "Cretans are always

liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons." {13}

This testimony is true.

Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so

that they will be sound in the faith

Conclusion

In the next study on “The Ministry of

Comfort,” we will search the Scriptures

to understand “How Comfort Can Be

Obstructed” and “How to Offer

Comfort to Others.” Until then, here’s

something to think seriously about

after you’ve had your chuckle.

The bulletin board out in a shop carried

this notice:

IN CASE OF ACCIDENT OR INJURY,

NOTIFY YOUR SUPERVISOR

IMMEDIATELY.

At the bottom of the notice someone

scribbled, “He’ll kiss it and make it

better.”

Now, go find someone who

needs comfort and then find a

way to “kiss and make it

better.”