Our Only Comfort

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