Our Only Comfort
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 1/1/2012 PM |
Text: | Isaiah 40:1,2; Lord's Day 1 |
Psalters: | 269, 20, 301, 163 |
- The idea.
- The Christian’s enjoyment of religion is expressed in the word “comfort” (cf. John 16:33; 17:15).
- What comfort is NOT.
- Comfort is knowing certain facts of Scripture by faith overagainst a contradictory experience.
- What must be known for comfort?
- First, faith and truth recognize a problem.
- Second, faith seizes on Scripture’s declaration of redemption in Jesus.
- Jesus fully satisfied for all our sins.
- And He delivered us from all the power of the devil.
- And He preserves us as His possession, making all things subservient to our salvation.
- And He assures us of eternal life.
- Third, we must know how to show our gratitude to God.
- Our comfort is experienced.
- Comfort does not take away our misery, but enables us to take it up, to bear it (I Cor. 10:13).
- Comfort is only experienced in the way of our constantly confessing that we “are not our own.”
- This tremendous comfort is an “only” comfort.